Above The Law
by JustineofQueens
Summary: Arthur and Morgana Pendragon are Albion's finest brother and sister detectives who work alongside attorneys Elyan and Guinevere of Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Firm, putting away Albion's worst criminals. But one criminal has eluded them thus far. Myron Crook.
1. Chapter 1

**Above The Law**

**Summary: Arthur and Morgana Pendragon are Albion's finest, brother and sister, detectives who work alongside attorneys Elyan and Guinevere of Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Firm, to put away Albion's worst criminals. But there is one criminal who has managed to stay above the law…Myron Crook.**

"Your Honor. This man has put his wife in the hospital more times than I have fingers! We are asking that he be remanded."

"Your Honor, that is pure speculation. Charges have never been filed against my client."

"That's because his wife is too afraid to press charges against him. You would be too, if he threatened to kill _your_ mother."

"Order in my courtroom!" the judge barked as he banged his gavel.

Judge Firth was a fair judge who had been presiding over special victims and domestic violence cases, for over 20 years. To say that Guinevere was happy that he _personally_ took on this case was an understatement. However, now Guinevere's client, the plaintiff and victim in this case, has withdrawn her complaint against her abusive husband.

"I'm sorry Ms. Leodegrance. If the plaintiff will not press charges against her husband, there is little legal action that I can take against him. My hands are tied."

"Your Honor I move for the charges against my client to be dropped, _with_ prejudice" the defense attorney requested.

"Judge Firth. If you release Magnus Romney, the next time that he beats his wife she won't have to file any charges against him".

"…She'll be dead" Gwen concluded.

"Mrs. Romney" the judge addressed the plaintiff. "Are you sure that you want to drop charges against your husband?"

"Yes Your Honor" Mrs. Romney said with a hushed tone, hunched shoulders, her right arm in a sling and left eye still slightly swollen from contact with her husband's fist. "It was just a dispute between husband and wife. That's all."

"Mrs. Romney, are you absolutely sure?" the judge urged.

"You heard the bitch" Mr. Romney supplied casually.

"Control your client Mr. Barnes, or I'll hold both you and him in contempt of court!" judge Firth spat back.

"I'm sure Your Honor" Mrs. Romney repeated.

After a few moments pause the judge gave his verdict.

"This is a perversion of justice." Judge Firth could barely contain his disgust. And as much as it sickens me to do this…I have no choice but to do so. I am granting the defense's request that the charges against Mr. Romney be dismissed…

…with prejudice."

Guinevere was crestfallen. She quickly ushered Mrs. Romney out of the courtroom, stealing one last glance at her abuser, a smug smile spread across his face, while the bailiff removed his handcuffs.

Once in the court halls, Guinevere addressed her client "Mrs. Romney. I fear for your safety. Is there anywhere else that you can stay while you continue to recover from your injuries?"

"Magnus just had a bad day at work, is all. I should have had dinner ready…but my mother had a doctor's appointment…I lost track of time" the small woman defended, avoiding answering the question, and Guinevere's concerned eyes.

Just then, the doors to the courtroom swung open to reveal the defendant and his smug attorney.

"Let's go home Tilly" Magnus said, being careful to avoid his wife's slanged arm, and tightly gripping the left one instead. "You have a lovely day Ms. Leodegrance…I know I will."

With that, Magnus and Tilley Romney walked down the corridor and entered the first available lift.

"So Gwen" the defense attorney turned to ask her, "how about you and I grab a kebab for lunch?"

"I would rather skewer and roast my own arm, to have with pita!" Gwen retorted storming out of the courthouse, leaving a dejected Sylvester Barnes in her wake.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I would like to thank all of you who have subscribed to, and favorite'ed my story. I can't tell you how much your interest in my words mean to me. But to those of you who review….Your reviews encourage a newbie writer like me so much, to continue to put out something that you'll enjoy reading. So don't be afraid to keep sharing your thoughts…I have tons of pennies to give for them =)**

"Pendragon!"

"…Which one?" they said in unison.

"Both of you" DCI Oliver responded.

"Where off to Chief?" Morgana asked.

"21F Main Street".

"Wait" Arthur said. "21F Main Street…"

"…Again? We've been there twice already this past month" Arthur frowned.

"Three times actually" Morgana corrected, matching her brother's frown

"No need to keep count" DCI Oliver said. "After tonight, we won't be receiving any more calls from 21F Main Street.

* * *

><p>"Gwen, we can't get them all…don't be so hard on yourself" Elyan offered.<p>

"He's right" Gwaine said.

"Elyan…You didn't see the look on this man's face. He was proud, _actually_ proud, of what he did. He had no remorse…not a care in the world for what he did to his wife. Meanwhile, she's standing beside me trembling like a leaf, eyes downcast, arm in a sling…" Gwen palms her face, shaking her head.

"You would think that a broken arm and black eye-and that's just the bits that were actually exposed!" Gwen's says incredulously "would be the final straw to break the camel's back".

"Not all women are as strong as you Gwen. Besides, with Sylvester "Slime"Barnes as his attorney, some of that smug is bound to rub off on his clients" Gwaine said. "Just be glad that he's not on our side".

"He could have been" Elyan sounded "I offered him a position here, at our firm, once he passed the bar exam. He turned me down, claiming that prosecutors do all of the grunt work…but get none of the glory, and that there's more money to be made as a defense attorney".

"More _publicity_ is more like it" Gwen said.

"Negative publicity at that" Gwaine agreed.

"Hey!" Gwaine reflected, then paused for a moment.

"…"

"Was Sly-

"Slime" Gwen interjected.

"-Slime…was he your first choice to work here at Leo & Leo?" Gwaine frowned.

"Of course not, Gwaine. I didn't even know that Elyan offered him a position here, until _after_ the fact" Gwen gifted Elyan a sideways glance.

"He was a young, promising attorney…Still is, in fact. I just wish his compassion mirrored his drive."

"Well I'm glad he declined the offer. You're like family to us" Gwen reassured her friend.

"Yeah…the pervert cousin we never wanted" Elyan laughed.

"Hey. It's not my fault that the 'ladies love cool' [_Gwaine]_" Gwaine supplied, with a dance of his eyebrows.

"Oh God" Guinevere sighed "I still can't believe that you insisted that we call you "LL Cool _G_" while we were at university".

"What can I say...? Hip Hop, at the time, had a profound effect on me" Gwaine said, taking a swig from his Coke can.

"I'll say!" Gwen agreed. "How can we forget your 'Eminem' phase?"

"Despite your better judgment, against my warnings, and much to Elyan's humor" which he emphasized with a snicker "…you actually bleached your hair!"

"And it looked good too, didn't it?"

"Humph" Elyan huffed.

"…Right…for all of about a week" Gwen continued "Until it all fell out!"

"I've never seen a grown man cry so hard".

"Or so long…"

"…Or so loud…" the siblings carried on, pausing long enough to look and laugh at their dear friend.

"The ladies sure didn't love cool Gwaine so much then, did they?" Elyan teased

"Okay Elyan. You're right…You did get most of the female attention that semester…

…for once" Gwaine coughed.

"I do just fine in the female department, thank you. Something to do with being partner…"

"…at my own law firm…"

"I'll give you that" Gwaine nodded in agreement. "Although you must admit, I add a certain "je ne sais quoi!" to the firm".

"Oh…Je sais quoi! It's called Old Spice!".

At this, Elyan and Gwen burst out laughing, while Gwaine threw his now empty soda can at Elyan's head, just missing it.

"You do smell like an old man!" Gwen supplied, finally being able to breathe. "…Which is only fitting, considering you already have the mind of a dirty old man".

"Really now…Well in that case, come and have a seat on Father Christmas' lap, and tell him what you'd like this year, my sweet child" Gwaine beckoned her in his best "dirty old man" voice.

"Ewww!" and the group erupted with laughter once more.

This is just how it was at university…and then at law school. The three would 'pull all-nighters' while tossing jokes at one another, feasting on Chinese take away. Not much has changed though, now that they had become professionals.

As Gwaine snatched away the final spring roll from the Chinese takeaway box, just as Elyan was reaching for it, "The last ones always taste the best" he said, triumphantly popping it into his mouth, the phone rang.

Gwen was closest to the phone, so she picked up the receiver, but not before stealing Gwaine's last fan-tail shrimp and tossing it to Elyan, who caught it between his teeth, then held the tail, taking a big bite.

"Well…do they…?" Gwen asked Elyan.

"Sure do!" Elyan winked, thanking his sister.

"…Dolphin!" Gwaine said in mock disgust.

"Hello!" Gwen giggled into the phone receiver.

"Oh…Judge Firth" the three quickly sobered up "How are you doing, this evening?"

"…Sorry?..."

"Oh God" Gwen gasped, the colour draining from her golden brown face, giving her skin a sallow pallor.

"Gwen?" Gwaine spoke up first.

"Gwen, what's wrong?" Elyan followed.

"It's my client…Tilly Romney…"

* * *

><p>Detective Sergeant Morgana Pendragon and Detective Inspector Arthur Pendragon drove in silence. Arthur made a right on the corner of Alder's Lane, the smell of freshly baked baguettes, likely to be converted to croutons for the local restaurants, drifting from <em>Henri's Boulangerie<em>, assaulting his nostrils. The, usually welcomed, aroma of fresh baked goods did nothing to dissolve the growing knot at the pit of Arthur's stomach. Something was amiss. He could feel it at his very core…And after years of being a detective…his instincts were rarely off.

"…Arthur…"

"…Arthur!" Morgana called out, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"What is it Morgana?"

"I suppose I should ask you the same question" she said "You never let me riffle through your glove compartment. Well…without at least one attempt at severing my digits…" Morgana chuckled.

Arthur remained mum.

"What's wrong Arthur?"

"Something is off."

"Is there ever a time when something isn't off, at 21F Main Street?" Morgana huffed, with a roll of her eyes.

"No…It's different this time, Morgana".

"What was it that Chief said, again? _"Don't worry…we won't be receiving any more calls from 21F Main Street…"_

"Yeah…That gave me a bit of an eerie feeling too" Morgana echoed.

Arthur continued up Alder's Lane and made a left on Smith Street…before arriving at Main Street. He turned right, onto Main Street, expecting to find Mrs. Randall, the next door neighbor who always called 999 when her friend was in need of police assistance, standing in front of her residence at 19F Main Street, frantically pacing and awaiting the arrival of Albion's police. What Arthur didn't expect to see, was Police Constable, Percival Gunner consoling a shivering, blood covered Mrs. Randall, as she cried into his arms.

On any other night, the sight of six-foot-six PC Percival Gunner bending at the waist to hug four-foot-ten Mrs. Randall would have been comical.

… Not tonight.

The knot in Arthur's stomach grew tighter.

The eerie cloud surrounding Morgana's thoughts grew thicker.

The two stepped out of Arthur's car, now the fifth, first responder vehicle, on the scene of the crime, and were approached by Police Inspector Leon Noble.

"DS Morgana".

"DI Arthur" Leon greeted both Pendragon detectives.

"Inspector…" Arthur nodded.

"The suspect really did a number on the victim…We'll have to use dental records to properly identify her. Although there's no doubt in my mind…"

"…it's Tilly Romney" Leon concluded.

**Oh…and a special thank you, to my dear friend (and sister) sharmini. She really pushed me to try my hand at fanfic writing. So, thank you Mini ;) And if you haven't already, check out her page, and her latest: 'With A Little Help From My Friends'. You won't regret it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you again, to all of the reviewers, subscribers and to those of you who have added me to your favorite stories and authors lists. I am humbled by your response, and I truly appreciate your readership. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter, and please leave some feedback .**

**I should mention that, the text in italics denotes the events that have already taken place, while the non-italics text denotes the present time.**

The events of last week replayed in Arthur's mind, as he finished off the final set of bench presses in the basement of his flat complex's gym.

Who was Guinevere Leodegrance to question his professionalism? his commitment to the citizens of Albion?...to the overseeing of their safety and justice? Why had her words affected him so? Guinevere was not the first attorney to go for the jugular…_An image of Arthur's fiancé-former fiancé, flashed in his mind, reminding him of that_…and she wouldn't be the last. So why should it matter what she thinks of Arthur? When had Guinevere's opinion of Arthur become his motivator? More importantly, when had Arthur began to seek Guinevere's approval?

* * *

><p>"<em>Do we know the whereabouts of the suspect?" As if hearing DI Pendragon's question, Magnus Romney began to kick at the back window of the police squad car, where he was currently seated and handcuffed, in a pathetic attempt to escape, or bid for an officer's attention. They ignored him as Arthur continued,<em>

"_Have you questioned any witnesses?"_

"_Yes. Just the one...Mrs. Randall. According to her statement, she was preparing to retire for the evening when she decided to call her friend to wish her a goodnight. "Instead" Leon continued "It was Mrs. Randall's phone that rang. Tilly Romney was calling, barricaded from within her bathroom, asking Mrs. Randall to try and talk to her husband to calm him down…as she had done in the past. But before Mrs. Romney could finish her plea, Mr. Romney had torn the phone line from the wall, disconnecting the call"._

"_She's still a bit shaken up, understandably so. We'll be taking her down to the police station to get her full statement. You'll have my full report by morning" Leon concluded._

"_Thank you Inspector" Arthur nodded, and left to inspect the crime scene._

_Leon nodded in turn, and made to walk away, but not before gently touching his girlfriend's shoulder, sensing her apprehension to go and survey the crime scene. "We can't save them all, Morgana. That's just the reality."_

"_Then just for once Leon…I'd like to live in a fantasy world…" Morgana said, walking away and following her brother into 21F Main Street._

_Arthur stepped over the threshold of the Romney household, the 'Welcome' mat not doing much to make him feel so, with precaution. Judging from the amount of blood that was on Mrs. Randall's nightdress…the crime scene promised to be gruesome. So Arthur took careful steps into the house, not wanting to disturb any bit of evidence that could be used against Magnus Romney for a murder conviction. _

_What he encountered in the Romney's home was enough to make a grown man wilt…_

_He heard light footsteps just behind him, and swiftly turned around._

"_Morgana" Arthur grabbed her arm, pulling her to the side and blocking her view. "I think you should leave this case to me. Trust me…I can handle it." Morgana may be one of Albion's best detectives and one of the strongest women that Arthur knows…But at the end of the day, he was still her big brother, and it was his job to protect her._

"_Arthur, please!" Morgana tried to tug her arm from his grip._

"_I'm an adult woman, and a professional detective. I'm not a little girl anymore. You no longer need to check my wardrobe and look underneath my bed…" Morgana quipped, sensing her brother's sentiment._

"_Fine" Arthur hesitantly released her arm._

_Morgana stepped around Arthur…Tilly Romney's body coming into full view. For a few moments, Morgana actually wished that she was five years old again, holding tightly onto her big brother's hand, peeking out from behind his hip while he checked her wardrobe for goblins. But that feeling quickly subsided, replaced by one of furry and hatred so strong, that her body actually began to tremble._

_Arthur sensed her fear-what he thought was fear, until he turned around and looked at her face. Morgana's face was hard as steel. That…along with her glass green stare, were sharp enough to cut a man down. Given the chance, that man would be Magnus Romney…her weapon of choice would be sharper than a stare._

_The trail of blood told a grizzly tale of the last moments of Tilly Romney's life…right down to the small bloody fingerprints on the frame of the front door where Tilly, no doubt, made a last ditch effort to escape her attacker…her husband. _

_According to the crime scene unit, still on site, the attack began in the bathroom-which corroborates Mrs. Randall's statement- where Magnus Romney kicked down the door which Tilly was still standing against, desperately trying to keep him out, and she tripped on the bathroom rug falling to her knees and hitting the toilet bowl-face first, a mixture of her blood and saliva on the toilet's rim and one of her teeth lodged at the bottom of the toilet bowl, being evidence. Magnus then pulled his wife up by her hair, to her feet, dragging her a short distance to the bathroom sink, where he smashed Tilly's face, hard, into the medicine cabinet mirror, severely cutting Tilly's face and breaking her nose, sending the shards of glass, covered in her blood, cascading into the bathroom sink. _

_He then dragged, a now sobbing, the drops of tears and saliva mixed with the blood on the hard wood floor, being proof, Tilly into the living room, where he pushed her down to the floor, kicking her repeatedly in the ribs and abdomen then kicked her on the chin, causing blood to go flying from her mouth, onto the nearest wall. Magnus then dropped to his knees, straddling his wife, and sat on her abdomen as he proceeded to choke her with his hands, causing her to sputter up blood onto his shirt. Judging from the bloodied boot prints leading to the kitchen, Magnus Romney must have redirected…and that's when Tilly Romney must have dragged herself, leaving a trail of her blood, to the front door, trying to escape her attacker. Her blood covered fingerprints were on the door's knob and frame…but she never made her escape. _

_Tilly was dragged back down the hall and into the living room, where Magnus pushed her back down to the floor. He reached over to the coffee table, grabbed the crystal ashtray, and subdued Tilly by striking her across the head. He then walked over to an end table, grabbed the phone cords that he earlier pulled away from the wall and started to strangle Tilly. But Tilly was resilient. She continued to fight…to breathe…to live._

_Magnus went back to the kitchen and returned with a butcher's knife. _

_Magnus Romney stabbed Tilly Romney repeatedly with such brutality, that the blood spatter reached the ten foot ceiling above him and the walls behind him…Once finished, he walked down the corridor, with the butcher's knife still in his left hand, dripping with his wife's blood, and exited the house. He made his way down the front steps and to his car, where he sat calmly in the driver's seat smoking a cigarette. That is how Albion's police officers found Magnus Romney when they finally arrived on the scene._

* * *

><p><em>Mrs. Randall peeked out of her window then snuck across the street, two homes down to Tilly's…the minute she saw Magnus enter his car. Mrs. Randall gasped when she saw the state of the house…none of that mattering the minute she saw Tilly's body. She broke down and sobbed, clutching the body of the woman who was not only her friend, but had become sort of a surrogate daughter to her, to her bosom, rocking her back and forth and gently stroking her once wheat coloured, now matted with blood, hair. This…is how Police Constable Percival Gunner had found her, before gently separating her from Tilly's lifeless body and leading her outside.<em>

_Now it was Arthur and Morgana who looked down onto Tilly Romney's body._

"_What is the cause of death, Merlin?"_

"_There is blunt force trauma to the cranial structure. Multiple contusions on her arms, legs, ribs, and back; lacerations to her face and neck, and multiple stab wounds to her chest and abdomen" the medical examiner said. "She's been strangled and choked. Judging from the thin lines and the nearby phone cord, I will assume they are to blame for the strangulation…the hand prints and bruising are most likely from her husbands' choking her. Her lungs and heart have been punctured, both from her broken ribs and the nine inch blade…causing severe internal bleeding"._

"_However, I won't know the true cause of death until I've preformed a full autopsy at my lab" Merlin concluded._

"_Thank you Merlin…And you'll call us once you have"._

"_Of course" And with that, the detectives carefully walked out of the house to leave the medical examiner and his team to finish analyzing the crime scene._

* * *

><p><em>Elyan's car, pulled up to 21F Main Street, Guinevere jumping out of the passenger's side before he could even pull out his keys from the ignition. Gwaine and Elyan stepped out of the car quickly, trying to catch up with her.<em>

"_Gwen, slow down"._

"_Shut up, Elyan!" Gwen spat over her shoulder, picking up her pace._

"_Excuse me Ma'am. This is area is closed off. Do you have clearance to be here?" an officer asked Gwen._

"_My client is in there…I need to see her"._

"_Gwen" Percival, having transferred Mrs. Randall to a female officer, caught up with the other PC questioning Gwen "trust me…you do not want to witness the scene. That is not how you want to remember your client"._

_Guinevere shrank back a step…But she ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach, before squaring her shoulders, tilting her head upward and looking Percival straight in the eye._

"_Police-Constable-Gunner" Gwen said through gritted teeth "If you do not grant me access to my client's home, I will have your badge…for hindering prosecution"._

_One look into the five-foot-three prosecutor's eyes told Percival that she meant every word. So he stepped aside, pulling up the yellow crime scene tape allowing Guinevere, Elyan and Gwaine (for safe measure) to approach the scene._

"_Thank you Percy" Elyan nodded at his friend._

"_Good call, mate" Gwaine said clapping his friend on the shoulder._

"_I may be big…but I'm not thick"._

_The three shared a laugh._

* * *

><p>"<em>What did Percival mean by, '…that is not how you want to remember your client'?" Gwen thought. But she's no idiot. The three police cars, the handful of uniformed officers, the coroner's vehicle…they all confirmed what she had predicted earlier in the courtroom that morning. But she refused to believe it. She just had to see for herself. <em>

_Magnus Romney had threatened to urinate in the back of PI Leon's police squad car, so two arresting officers led him to a nearby tree to relieve himself, refusing him his original request to use the bathroom in his house. Gwen was just a few feet away from the Romney's house, stopping short when she locked eyes with Magnus Romney, being led back from his pee-break. _

_A demented smile slowly spread across his sun-weathered, stubble covered, face. "…Nice of you to pay a follow-up visit, Ms. Leodegrance" the murderer said. His once white t-shirt, now covered in blood, stuck to his chest and small protruding belly._

_Just then, Arthur and Morgana were descending 21F's steps._

_Gwen began quivering at the site of the blood, but kept her voice level. "What did you do to her?"_

"_Nothing less than she deserved" he said, equally level._

_Arthur and Morgana reached the bottom of the stairs, hearing the exchange between the two. Guinevere trembled with a rage that she hadn't felt in years…and lunged at Magnus Romney, fully intent to claw that smug smile right off of his face. Arthur recognizing the look in Guinevere's eyes, having just seen it in his sister's, thrust himself between Gwen and Romney just in time, grabbing hold of Guinevere's waist._

"…_You son of a bitch!"_

"_You sick…son of a bitch!" Gwen screamed and sobbed at Magnus' back, who was now being shoved back into the police car._

"…_God!" Gwen screamed up to the sky, finally breaking down, Arthur coming around to face her as she sobbed into his chest. Arthur held her firm, one arm around her waist, the other around her upper back, his hand laced through her curls. They stayed fused this way for what seemed like an eternity to Arthur…until Guinevere suddenly placed her hands, firmly, on his firm chest, and shoved him away, causing him to actually stagger a step._

"_This is your fault!" Gwen accused Arthur. "If you would have done your job properly, I would have been able to prosecute that" she said pointing to Magnus Romney in the squad car "animal…and put him the cage, where he belongs!"_

_Arthur was stunned. One minute, this small strange woman, who he presumed to be a friend or kin to Tilly Romney, is sobbing in his arms. The next…she's blaming him for her death. How was he to be blamed for the murder of Tilly?_

"_I assure you ma'am, I am not at all responsible for what that bastard did to his wife" Arthur said just as sternly._

"…_Really? Tell me then…How many times has your police station received calls to this address in the past year?" Guinevere held her hand up to reanalyze "No…the past month?"_

_Arthur stood there dejected. She was right. He had asked his chief that very question just before he left the police precinct that night._

"…_Just as I thought."_

"_Time after time, she called to you for help…And time after time you failed her…And then…I failed her" Gwen's voice trembling " I warned Tilly that something like this would happen" Gwen was cut off, as Merlin and his crime scene crew wheeled Tilly Romney out in a body bag. It was zipped to the top, sparing Gwen more guilt…but her eyes welled up, tears spilling anew, as she watched Tilly being placed in the back of the coroner's vehicle._

"_I hope that her dead body is enough evidence this time" Gwen addressed Arthur. _

_Elyan, who had long caught up with her, wrapped his jacket around Gwen and lead her away back to their car, Gwaine following closely behind._

"_Come on Arthur" Morgana said to her brother, reaching for his keys "I'll drive"._

* * *

><p><em>Arthur didn't remember giving Morgana his car keys. He didn't even remember the drive back to the police station.<em>

_All he could think about were Guinevere's accusations…_

…_All he could see was her tear-soaked face._

* * *

><p>Arthur sat on the edge of the bench and took a few deep breaths. His workout complete, Arthur wiped his face with his micro-fiber towel, and took a large gulp of his sports drink. After wiping down the gym equipment, he made his way to the lifts…thoughts of Guinevere Leodegrance still dominating his mind as he reached his flat.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**AN/: I'd like to clarify, for the introduction and conclusion of the previous chapter, that Arthur still does not know who Guinevere is, or her name for that matter. They will be properly introduced below. Once again, text in italics is past tense, while non-italics is in the present.**

** zZz**

It had been a full week after Tilly Romney's murder when Medical Examiner Merlin Emyrs finally called Detectives; Inspector and Sergeant Pendragon down to the lab to give them his full autopsy report on Tilly's cause of death. Unfortunately, Tilly Romney had not been the only body to pass through the lab that week. One in particular, was the body of a young male runner. Another medical examiner had ruled that his death was due to natural causes. Apparently his findings did not sit well with the young man's parents, so they got a referral for a second opinion to Merlin. _Natural causes_ did not sit right with Merlin either. There was nothing "natural" about a twenty six year old, physically fit, athletic male collapsing and dying of respiratory failure.

While Merlin conducted _his _autopsy, he found trace amounts of rodent poison along the man's trachea and in his lungs. Nothing natural indeed…The man was poisoned. After Merlin's final findings, he phoned the young man's parents who confided in him that they had suspected their son's girlfriend was to blame for his death. So Merlin notified the police, who questioned the girlfriend…and she finally broke down and confessed to the murder. She had suspected and accused her boyfriend of infidelity, so she tampered with his asthma inhaler and put crushed rodent poison into the inhaler's filter. He would always take his inhaler with him on his morning runs…And that's how he was found, collapsed in the park. His inhaler was later recovered in the park and tested…corroborating the girlfriend's confession. She was immediately taken into police custody. The young victim's parents, despite Merlin's vehement protest, made a grandiose donation to the lab in the memory of their son, to show the medical examiner their gratitude. So it was a busy week for Merlin…Surely Arthur and Morgana would understand.

zZz

Arthur and Morgana decided to walk to the lab, it not being too far from the police station. It was late September, summer nearing to an end, autumn on its cusp. The air was pleasant and not at all stifling.

"Arthur, you've been sporting a sulk, and perfectly pouting all week. 'What's eating Gilbert Grape?'" Morgana asks, barely hiding her grin.

Arthur looks over at his sister, his pout ever present "I still can't get what she said to me…out of my head" he confesses.

"She was angry and wanted to blame someone. We _all_ were. But you must know that you are not to blame for Tilly Romney's demise. Unfortunately…in a way…she is" Morgana says sadly.

Arthur halts and looks over at his sister, bewildered.

Morgana holds up her hands in defense "I only meant that if the poor woman had pressed charges against that _monster_…at the very least just run away from home, she may still be alive today".

"Right" Arthur nods and they continue to walk "But Tilly finally did try to escape, and that's what ultimately got her killed"…

_On the night of Tilly Romney's murder, Arthur and Morgana interrogated Magnus Romney at the police precinct. He told the detectives that Tilly wanted to file for divorce and that she was leaving to go stay with her mother. So he snapped. He wasn't 'in his right mind' he admitted. Then the murderer sat there, still in cuffs, cupped his face, and actually began to sob. But not one tear escaped his eyes…Not a' one, as Morgana and Arthur sat across from him and watched him intently. His attorney, Sylvester Barnes, sat there "consoling" his client. Arthur could practically see, and hear, the wheels of Sylvester's mind in motion. There was no doubt in his mind that Sylvester ("Slime" as he was known at the precinct) was going to push for a crime of passion, or even a temporary insanity, defense._

Arthur and Morgana reached the lab building at last.

After exiting the lifts, they pushed through the double swing-doors and made their way down the sterile-white corridor leading to the morgue. Arthur halted his steps for the second time while voyaging to the lab. Only Morgana wasn't the cause this time. It was her…

zZz

Guinevere marched out of Merlin's morgue, sick to her stomach. Though Tilly's body had been expertly cleaned by the medical examiner, his description of her injuries paired with the lacerations all over Tilly's face and body still painted a very vivid picture of her last moments on this earth. Now that her body was drained of all its blood, her skin was stone white, making her injuries much more visible. Merlin had warned Guinevere when she contacted him via phone and again, when she hadn't changed her mind, in person.

"_Ms. Leodegrance –"_

"_Please. Call me Gwen" she cut in._

"_Gwen. You do not have to see the victim's body. I will give you a full copy of my autopsy report" Merlin says._

"_Dr. Emyrs –"_

"_Please…Merlin" he offers._

"_Merlin, I want to witness the injuries to my client first hand. When I address the jury in court during Tilly Romney's murder trial, I want to be convincing with the full knowledge that I've seen the horror that she suffered at her murderous husband's hands. She's dead, Merlin. I am Tilly's voice now. I want to make sure that the citizens of Albion hear everything that she has to say. So please, I must see her body"._

_Merlin looked at Gwen, proud in knowing that Tilly Romney would not be another 'Jane Public' left un-identified, unspoken for and never having justice as her final portion_

_Merlin slightly pushed the morgue's door with his foot, reached into the drawer on his left and handed Gwen a pair of disposable booties and face mask. "This way"…_

_ zZz_

…Guinevere shook her head trying to rid it of what she just saw. Merlin was right and so was Percival…That was not how she wanted to remember Tilly Romney. Then she thought of the small woman; shoulders hunched, arm in a sling with a swollen eye and trembling like a leaf standing next to her in the courtroom just last week, and knew that she had been right to visit the morgue. She owed Tilly at least that. But Gwen was prepared to do more. Magnus Romney would pay…

…Guinevere continued walking through the sterile-white corridor, walking past two figures. She didn't realize who they were until one of them gently caught her arm, to still her.

"Excuse me Ms.…" he waited for her to fill in the blank.

She didn't.

"I'm DI Arthur Pendragon. This –"

"I know who you are" Gwen says glaring at him, swiftly pulling her arm away from his grasp.

"- is my sister, DS Morgana Pendragon" Arthur continues, as if uninterrupted, ignoring her dismissive tone.

Morgana extends her hand, and much to Arthur's surprise, Gwen reciprocates, as they share a brief handshake.

"You were at the Romney household last week" Morgana says, half questioning.

"Yes" Gwen says, her eyes quickly dart to Arthur then back to Morgana's. "I am…was her attorney" Gwen looks away, staring into space.

"We referred Tilly Romney to various battered women's shelters and organizations. We even once offered to put her up in a vacant flat near the police station. But –"

"She always went back to her abuser" Gwen finishing her sentence, now looking at Morgana again.

"We are truly sorry" Arthur says, finding his voice.

"I do not need your sympathy. It is of no use now. What I want is justice for my client" Guinevere says levelly.

"As do we…Tilly Romney may not have been the bravest woman, but she was a kind and giving woman, and well-liked by many. The makeshift memorial outside of Albion's Public Library where she worked, is a testament to that" Arthur says respectfully

Guinevere's eyes softened a bit at his confession. He does care, she thinks.

"You were right…We did fail Tilly Romney. Her death will not go un-avenged- I will make sure of that. But we stand a better chance at convicting Magnus Romney for murder if we work together" Arthur beckons to Guinevere.

Arthur has Gwen's full attention now. "Here's my card" Gwen pulls out her wallet from her handbag and hands a card each, to Arthur and Morgana. "We can compare the notes that we already have and you can update me on your investigation as you go along". Just then, Gwen's mobile rings…

"_Yes Elyan"_ she says answering the phone.

"…_One minute"_ Gwen removes the mobile from her ear, holds it to her chest and addresses the detectives.

"That's my brother" Gwen gestures to her phone "I'm needed back at the office. You'll call me…" she half-asks, half-tells them.

"Yes" they reply in unison. Gwen nods to both Morgana and Arthur, her eyes lingering a bit longer on the latter, then continues down the corridor resuming her phone conversation and disappears through the double swing-doors.

Arthur looks down at the business card he was just given that reads:

**Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Offices**

"A trusted family…your family can trust".

He flips it to the back and finds her mobile number, but no name. Arthur stuffs the card into his pocket and looks down the hallway. Something on the floor reflecting the sunlight through a nearby window catches his eye. He walks a few yards to the end of the hallway and picks up the shiny object. It's a small "I.D." bracelet, no bigger than a small child's wrist. Tilly's attorney must have dropped it, for he just came through those doors and didn't see the bracelet there before. It read: Guinevere.

"_Guinevere"_ Arthur whispered.

Finally…A name.

* * *

><p><strong>I would like to apologize to those of you who might have took offense to the gore in the previous chapter. I should have added a warning. But in my defense, this is a crime fic as well and I didn't want to skimp on the detail. Any forth coming chapters that have gory scenes will come with appropriate warnings.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

WARNING: There is some content in this chapter that may be disturbing to some. Please, try not to take offense, and read with caution.

* * *

><p>Guinevere parked her car adjacent to her law firm and fed the street meter, before looking both ways and crossed the street. Once she entered the firm's building, she was greeted by her secretary.<p>

"'Morning, Gwen".

"'Morning, Mona".

Mona, (whose name was short for Ramona) and Gwen met while at university when Gwen was in her final year and Mona was in her second. The two were enrolled in a Public Speaking course where they quickly forged a friendship, anchored by their love for the law and Indian food, which Ramona's mother cooked for them in abundance. When Mona graduated from university she went into her family's restaurant business. But after three years of food service Mona decided that public service was best suited to her interests, so she made the decision to go to law school. Gwen knew her friend would make the perfect secretary. So Mona enrolled in law school, taking courses in the evening and working at Leodegrance & Leodegrance as secretary during the day. Gwen admired her friend because she was driven, well spoken, well versed, loved by the community, ambitious and kind. If nothing else…Gwen had free access to some of Albion's best Indian fare.

"Did anyone call…Any messages?"

"Yes. A..." Mona flips through the notepad labeled "messages" "Mrs. Randall called. Poor dear sounded like she saw a ghost".

"She's still shaken up about Tilly, I'm sure. I'll phone her a bit later".

"Also a Mrs. Lucas…A Mrs. Joan Lucas called".

"That's Tilly's mother. I'll phone her straight away. First I have to see to Elyan"…

…Gwen walked through the lobby then reaching her office, unlocked and opened the door then placed her handbag on her desk. She then made her way over to Elyan's office, slowing down her steps when she heard Elyan and Gwaine laughing on the other side of the door.

Gwen opened the door without knocking, Gwaine and Elyan ceasing all laughter,

"Elyan…You called me saying that it was urgent, yet clearly not so urgent, that you can sit here laughing up a storm with Gwaine".

"Uh…Lunch".

"…Lunch?"

"Yes. I wanted to know what you'd like to eat for lunch".

Gwen stood there and stared at her brother while she mentally counted to ten.

…It didn't work.

"Elyan-Langston-Leodegrance"…

"Here it comes" Gwaine whispers to himself.

"…You mean to tell me that you phoned me while I was half-way across town, just so that I would rush here to place my lunch order?" Gwen asks in a menacingly silent tone.

"The last time I ordered lunch for you, it ended up in the bin…something about it being too greasy. I remember you specifically saying, and I quote _'Elyan, the next time you order lunch –'_

"I know what I said- I was there when I said it!" Gwen says through clenched teeth.

Gwaine snickers, earning him a glare from Gwen.

"That's what we were laughing about…actually. I warned Elyan that you'd be right-pissed if he made that call. Then I told him to make sure that he was the one to get the food from the deliveryman when it arrived."

"…Wouldn't want a laxative mixed into my orange chicken…"

Elyan starts laughing again…The image of Gwaine having 'the runs', while both he and Gwen conspire against their friend, locking themselves into their office bathrooms, just until he is about ready to burst…was just too funny.

Gwen, on the other hand, mentally thanks Gwaine for the sinister idea, then stores it away for later use should the opportunity present itself, as she continues to glare at him.

"…God you're hot, when you're hot".

Gwen remains unyielding.

Gwaine tries a different tactic. "So, where were you when El called, Princess…Indulging in some _much_ _unnecessary_ beauty rest?"

Gwen can't help but let a small smirk escape her lips at her friend's persistence.

"Ah…Is that a smile I see? Not as sexy as when you're cross…but I'll take it" Gwaine says with a wink.

"Hold on" Elyan stops laughing, straightening up "You went to the morgue to see your client today. How was it?" he asks cautiously.

Gwen finally grabs a leather office chair and plops herself down with a heavy sigh "Terrible. He really did a number on his wife- showed her no mercy".

"And neither will you…him" Elyan reaches over his desk and takes his sister's hand into his and looks her in the eyes. "You fought hard for Tilly while she was alive and you will continue to fight for her now that she's gone. I have no doubt that you'll see to her justice and gain a guilty verdict for her murderer, at trial".

"Which, at the very least, is what that _prick_ deserves" Gwaine adds.

At Gwaine's words, Gwen remembers something that Magnus Romney confessed to her before he was taken into police custody, and then stores it in her mental file-cabinet. "You two may behave like children at times…_most_ times, actually. But when the moment calls for it, you guys know just the right things to say". "Thanks El" she looks at her brother, who squeezes her hand in response. "…You too _LL Cool G_" Gwen turns and winks at her friend, who places a chaste kiss on the back of her free hand.

"Now…About this lunch business"…

* * *

><p>Arthur is sitting at his desk, swiveling in his office chair while lightly fingering the gold object that he found…when a knock comes at the door. Morgana poked her head through Arthur's office door before he could permit her access and just as he shoved the gold I.D. bracelet into his desk draw. "Arthur, Leon and I are headed over to Gilli's…Can we get you anything?"<p>

"A pint would be nice…But I'm still on-duty. You two go ahead. You could use a moment alone anyway" he winks at his sister.

"Awww…Thanks _Goldie Locs" _Morgana says, using one of her favorite "Arthur nicknames". "I'll bring you back some fish though- 'know how much you like it".

"What…No chips?"

"You could do without the extra carbs" she says pointing to his mid-section. "You're about one pint away from a proper beer-belly" Arthur reaches over to the wall-unit behind him, grabs and throws a small stuffed football at her head, just as Morgana ducks it back into the hallway, her rich laughter following her.

Arthur knew Morgana was just teasing him. She often did that when she sensed he was being pensive. This time was no different. Before Arthur decided to distract himself, fiddling with the I.D. bracelet that he found, his thoughts were on the meeting that he and Morgana had with Merlin, earlier.

"_So Merlin, what have we got?" Arthur reaches for the autopsy report. Merlin slaps the back of his hand. "Hey! You could've just asked me to wait"._

"_You could've just followed protocol" Merlin countered. "Now go back to the cabinet and help yourself to a pair of gloves and a mask"._

_Morgana snickers while grabbing a pair of gloves and mask for herself, already knowing Merlin's rules._

"_He always was a stringent fellow…Even as kids" Morgana whispers to Arthur once he reaches the cabinet._

"_Yeah…I remember once when we were seven years old and while we were playing in his mum's backyard, he suggested that we lay a tarp on the ground and use gloves, so as not to get dirty as we made our mud pies" Arthur and Morgana share a snicker. "But Merlin" I said "that's the best part". "Arthur" Merlin said "I don't see any humor in getting dirt stains on my slacks". Arthur and Morgana snicker again, huddling together trying to stifle their laughs._

"_The acoustics in this room are state of the art. So if you two want to continue your stroll down memory lane…I suggest that you not" Merlin says, without looking up from his work._

_Arthur straightens up then narrows his eyes at the medical examiner as Morgana shakes her head, smiling at the childhood memory. The two make their way over to the autopsy slab, standing on the opposite side as Merlin. "The victim suffered a broken nose, nerve damage to both orbital sockets when the suspect slammed her face into the medicine cabinet mirror, tissue damage to the scalp where the suspect pulled her by the hair, a fractured jaw where he kicked her face, a crushed voice box, a left dislocated shoulder and bruised tailbone from being pulled and dragged across the floor, and several broken bones where she was repeatedly kicked. The victim also suffered blunt force trauma to the side and back of the skull, massive internal bleeding from both lungs that were punctured by a broken rib and a nine inch blade…The very same blade was used to stab the victim about the chest and torso, fifty-eight times"._

"…_Fifty-eight times!" Morgana exclaims "That's over-kill"._

"_Yes" Merlin nods "But the official cause of death was a fatal stab wound to the heart. I will run tests on her organs, tissue, hair follicles and stomach contents, just to be thorough. I will call you with my findings- if any"._

_Arthur, Morgana and Merlin look down at the victim a few moments longer before Merlin pulls the sheet at her waist upward, shielding her entire body._

"_Thank you Merlin" Arthur says._

"_I swear…If that son-of-a-bitch walks free, I will hand in my badge and firearms then take justice into my own hands". With that, Morgana storms out of the morgue._

_Merlin takes this opportunity to say, "Arthur…The victim also displays evidence of vaginal trauma and scarring"._

"_She was raped…On top of everything else…?"_

"_Not on the night he murdered her…no- that being his only act of mercy. But the assault was fairly recent"._

_Arthur takes one last look at the covered body and thanks his friend again before leaving the morgue to join Morgana, whom he found waiting at the lifts._

* * *

><p>Arthur reached for his desk drawer and pulled out the gold I.D. bracelet. He then reached into his right front pocket and pulled out the prosecutor's business card. Arthur flipped the card to the back-side then dialed her mobile number.<p>

It was her sweet and husky laughter that assaulted his senses first…before her voice filled his ear.

"…Hello?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you all, for the story reviews, story alerts, favorite story adds, and favorite author adds. I really appreciate your readership.**


	6. Chapter 6

WARNING: This chapter may spook some of you…But please, bear with me.

"…Hello" Gwen says a little more urgently into her mobile phone.

Arthur can't find his voice…He's still mesmerized by the sound of her laughter. If he could liken Guinevere's laughter to a scent, it would be sandalwood- sweet, spicy, warm, husky…Inviting. It was the scent that he loved and hated- forgot and fondly remembered the most. His mother loved sandalwood. It was her favorite scent- evident in her vast collection of bath soaps, crèmes and fragrances.

"Sly…If this is you…" Guinevere says, snapping Arthur out of his reverie, her patience wearing thin.

Arthur not enjoying being presumed to be Sylvester Barnes, or the warmth slowly evaporating from Guinevere's voice, finally finds his…

"Guinevere?"

"Yes…To whom am I speaking with?" Gwen asks cautiously.

"It's me- uh sorry- Arthur…It's Arthur" he trips over his words.

"Detective Pendragon- Oh, right!" Gwen says brightly "Is there a development on the case?"

"No. I- "

"Well, I'm on my lunch break at the moment, actually. I'm of no use to anyone when I'm hungry- believe me. So if it's not urgent…"

"No" Arthur says looking down at the I.D. bracelet in his hand "I suppose it can wait".

("Gwen, can you please pass the chutney?") Arthur hears a voice ask in the background.

"…Good" then Gwen remembers "Oh! D.I. Pendragon- I almost forgot to ask. Have you questioned Mrs. Randall yet, by any chance?"

"I have…But I'll be stopping by her home for a follow-up interview. Witnesses often remember more details of a crime after they've had some time to allow what they've seen set in a bit- if that makes any sense".

"Yes, that makes perfect sense".

"Well…I'll let you get back to your lunch then".

"If there's any lunch to get back to" Gwen says sarcastically.

Then Gwen puts the mobile to her chest to muffle her scolding ("Elyan, _that's_ your plate, right _there_, in front of you") before bringing the receiver back to her ear.

"Sorry 'bout that".

"…No- not at all. My sister's the same way, actually" Arthur offers with a light chuckle.

"Alright then…" Gwen pauses "…Good day Detective".

"Please, call- "

Arthur never gets to finish his request to Guinevere, for her to call him "Arthur"- the dial tone on the other end of the phone confirming that Guinevere ended their call to fulfill the earlier request of her lunch mate to 'please pass the chutney'. From the sounds of it…she- they- were having Indian for lunch. Arthur's stomach growled then, reminding him that he had not had a bite to eat since breakfast- if you can call a sleeve of biscuits and a 'cuppa, breakfast- that morning.

"Maybe I should have taken Morgana up on that lunch offer" he thinks.

* * *

><p>"…That sounds like <em>our<em> Merlin alright" Gilli chuckles.

"You two must have had a world of fun taking the mickey out of him while growing up" Leon thinks aloud, taking a swig of his stout.

"We did" Morgana says after she finishes relaying the joke that Arthur shared with her earlier. "But Merlin was always good at science, that's how he got back at us. Well…mostly at Arthur. Merlin had a bit of a crush on me when we were growing up. Until one day, when I voiced my opinion about my distaste for those 'Back To The Future' films. That's when he decided that it was best we just be friends. But back to Arthur…Arthur once broke one of Merlin's beakers from one of his earlier chemistry sets, and instead of admitting to the crime, he just used glue to piece the beaker back together."

"Like 'Humpty Dumpty'" Percival offers.

"Right…So anyway" Morgana continues "When Merlin later used the same beaker over a burner for one of his little experiments, the heat shattered it to pieces. Thank God it was only water in the beaker at the time, and Merlin was standing a safe distance away. He knows how much _I_ hate chemistry, so he instantly knew who tampered with his equipment…The following day when Merlin came over to have lunch with Arthur and me he brought over a few slices of chocolate cake that his _mum_ made. Arthur has a massive sweet tooth, so Merlin knew to use it to his advantage. As it turns out, it was Merlin who actually baked the cake- _especially_ for Arthur. He used something called _sorbitol_ in place of sugar, which if eaten in large amounts can have a laxative effect. Merlin also used cucumber juice in the chocolate icing, cucumbers having a diuretic outcome." Morgana pauses to laugh "Poor Arthur didn't leave a _crumb _behind on his plate. It wasn't until two hours later that Arthur's stomach began to _talk"_ Morgana says with a raise of the eyebrows "and Merlin's scheme began to take effect. Arthur ran to the loo- promising to make Merlin regret the day he was ever born, with every step. He spent the better part of an hour on the loo, _literally_ pissing andshitting his day away, thoroughly convinced that Merlin was a demon child".

By this time everyone in the pub had been captivated by Morgana's tale, and they all joined her, Percival, Leon and Gilli in laughter. If Arthur were to find his subordinates sharing a hearty laugh at his expense…there would be hell to pay. It was with the knowledge of _said_ doom, and with the absence of _said_ punisher, that had Albion's finest laughing even harder.

'Gilli's' was the official, unofficial, hangout spot for the Albion police department. After long shifts of 'working the beat' doing their best to ensure the safety of the city's streets, coppers would retreat to 'Gilli's''. When the men and women of the police force wanted some good ale and the best fish & chips in town, they would go to 'Gilli's'. Even the retired coppers, now civilians- although they refused to be referred to as such, spent most of their days and nights at 'Gilli's', spending hours recalling their experiences to the younger Albion police officers about their time running the city; how many cases they solved and how many convictions they had beneath their belts. They also shared less boastful stories, like attending funerals of their fellow fallen brothers and sisters in arms, or about the convictions that they didn't get, watching the guilty evade justice and walk free. The memories were bittersweet, but the younger coppers relished listening to the tales of the retired Albion policemen- some of who were their heroes and reasons for joining the police force. 'Gilli's' brought Albion's police officers together…And it kept them together too.

'Gilli's' was named after Michael Hunter's son, Gilli Hunter. Michael loved his boy just as much as he loved running his pub. To him- the two were synonymous. When Michael died, Gilli took over ownership of the pub, putting his dreams of becoming a light- weight boxer on the back burner. He loved his father and he knew that 'Gilli's' was his father's dream…He didn't have the heart to let that dream die. The police officers knew this, and always expressed their gratitude to Gilli- his annual income, generous tips, and genuine friendships being proof of that. On the days when Gilli felt like throwing the towel in and pursuing his own dreams, the memory of his father- that ever present satisfied smile on his face and the pulse of 'Gilli's' made him hold on to that towel and throw it across his shoulder instead.

* * *

><p>When Morgana finally returned back to the police station with Arthur's fish <em>and<em> chips…it wasn't a moment too soon. Arthur made quick work of his lunch, thankful for 'Gilli's' amazing cook and to Morgana for having the foresight into his sudden hunger. Arthur's gratitude didn't last very long though when Leon passed by his office door and said "No worries Arthur…We made sure cook withheld the cucumbers" chuckling and tossing a wink at Morgana before making his way down the hall to his department's wing.

Arthur glared at Morgana "You just had to open your big mouth and tell him didn't you? And at 'Gilli's' no less! You may as well have taken a megaphone and announced it on the courthouse stairs"

"Oh please Arthur- it was _twenty _years ago!"

"That's not the point Morgana! Now both the police _and_ detective units know about my…" Arthur struggles for an appropriate reference "…chocolate colon-flush!" he finally decides.

Morgana bursts out laughing. Even _she_ couldn't come up with a name so clever- not for lack of trying. She made a mental memo to share the, ingeniously titled, prank's name with Merlin.

"Go ahead- laugh. I'd bet that you wouldn't be laughing quite as hard if I told the department about your at-home colouring job a few summers ago, hmm!" Arthur has Morgana's full attention now. "That the real reason why you wore 'beautiful silk scarves'" Arthur trying his best to imitate Morgana's Irish brogue "all summer long was not because you were being fashionable, but because you accidentally died your hair _orange!_"

"How was I to know that that particular hair-dye brand had been recalled and that that _blasted_ beauty supply store owner decided to keep mum about it and sell it to innocent, unsuspecting customers like me anyway?"

"Well how was I to know that Merlin was _indeed_ the spawn of the devil that was sent up to earth to make my pre- pubescent years a living hell- _home_, to him, or that he made that chocolate cake just to spite me!"

"You know good and well why he made that chocolate cake for you, Arthur. It's because you broke his beaker, and instead of 'fessing up to it, you just made like it never happened".

"And for a _stupid_ beaker…_I _nearly died of dehydration!"

Morgana's laughter erupts anew. "You are such a drama-queen Arthur" then she heads for the door "I have to go finish filing some paperwork. Glad I didn't listen to you" Morgana says pointing to Arthur's empty takeaway fish basket "And Gilli says 'hello'".

"Thanks again…Morgie" Arthur tells his sister using his childhood nickname for her. She tilts her head to the side, smiling, appreciating the rarely used reference "Anytime, Artie" she says returning the nostalgic notion, then making her exit.

Arthur clears off his desk and throws the takeaway remnants into the trash, and then he grabs his jacket on the coat hook at the back of his office door and heads out to re-question Mrs. Randall.

* * *

><p>Arthur made the familiar drive to Main Street, finally arriving at 19 F Main Street, Mrs. Randall's residence. Before he could close his car door and make his way over to the sidewalk, Mrs. Randall is already at her door, her arm extended and pointing a shaking hand across the street to 21 F.<p>

Arthur walks the few steps up to her doorway, joining her "Mrs. Randall, you're only in your housecoat- you'll catch a cold out here without a proper jacket". The small woman seems to ignore the detective's observation- her arm still extended and shaking hand still pointing across the street. "What is it Mrs. Randall? What do you see?"

"I saw…_her_" is all the woman offers in a haunted voice, her eyes unblinking.

Arthur assumes who the 'her' is, and knows that Mrs. Randall is referring to Tilly Romney. He's seen this before- when people so close to someone they loved or cared for, begin to 'see' the person that has died, believing that he or she is still alive.

"I know that it's hard Mrs. Randall…and you wish she were still alive, so your mind allows your eyes to see her- to see Tilly. But I'm sorry Mrs. Randall…She's gone" Arthur says gently to the small woman as he removes his jacket and wraps it around her shoulders trying to guide her back into the warmth of her apartment.

"No" the woman shakes her head and then looks up at Arthur "I may not be as _young_ as I used to be...My sight may not be what it once was, and I may be grieving. But I know what I saw" Mrs. Randall says confidently, and then looks away from Arthur and back to the house across the street where her friend was murdered. "I saw Tilly and I called out to her. Her back was to me, but I _knew_ it was her. So I called out to her- just to be sure, and I watched her step stagger a bit, then she actually stood still- it was _just_ for a moment. But that was all the response I needed. Then she got into a black car, and drove away."

Mrs. Randall looked back up at a stunned and confused Arthur "It _was_ her, detective. Tilly is alive".

* * *

><p>Thank you again for the reviews, alerts and adds. I appreciate your readership.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

When Zachary Thomas walked into Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Offices he appealed to Elyan immediately. Just like Elyan, Zachary was a war veteran who had returned back home to Albion last year after being overseas for three years. The monstrosities Zachary witnessed in that warzone ravaged country made him question if there was truly any good left in the world…or if good even existed at all. Almost daily he would hear the blood-curdling lamentations of mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers…mourning their innocent children and grandchildren who were murdered, being in the wrong place at the wrong time…the communal water well, the school classroom, at a friend's home…killed while caught in a crossfire of bullets exchanged by Albion's army unit and the local rebel-militiamen. Innocent civilians who just wanted to go about their lives as usual, before the war, in peace…peace now just a prayer fallen on deaf ears.

Zachary also saw rebel soldiers- boys, as young as seven years old carrying machine guns that weighed as much as the small carriers…a sight that became aberrantly common. These boy-soldiers were thoughtlessly abducted from their homes, while their families were executed…or worse…then recruited against their will into rebel-militia, their childhoods stolen from them, never to be returned. They were now lost boys. Lost to their families…lost to the war…lost to themselves.

One afternoon after returning from briefly relieving himself in a nearby bush close to his hide-out, Zachary found himself stood face-to-face with one of these 'lost boys'. The child could not have been more than eight years old…but the weight and sorrow his eyes held, aged him, making him appear older. Those same eyes pleaded with Zachary for a few moments, begging for deliverance- from his country or from his life…Zachary didn't know. In those same crucial moments Zachary pleaded with the boy too- _begging_ him, to put his gun down, begging the child not to force him to make the distinction of deliverance. But when the child lifted his gun and aimed it at Zachary's head, his small pointer and middle fingers shaking- his pointer finger not being big enough to put enough pressure on the trigger, but still determined for the trigger, Zachary was forced to make the distinction…to deliver the lost boy from his life. Sleep never came that night, or any other night thereafter. All he could see when he closed his eyes were the pleading eyes of that dead lost boy…even after he gave him a quick burial.

When Zachary returned back home to Albion and was seen by the army doctor, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. That was one year ago. Just last month, after taking his prescription PTSD medication for nearly one year, Zachary discovered that his physician, Dr. Peter Clark, had not been giving him genuine PTSD drugs, but a placebo instead. Dr. Clark had decided to use his soldier patients who had just returned from the war in a PTSD study to determine whether post-traumatic stress disorder medication help cure the side effects of their stresses and allowed them to resume normal routines, pre-war, to help them re-assimilate back into society. The placebo group soldiers were used to determine if they could overcome their traumatic stress and resume normal routines pre-war and re-assimilate back into society organically, without drugs. Zachary had been having nightmares every night for an entire year…nightmares about those eyes…of those blood-chilling screams…nightmares of his slain fellow combat mates. When he confided in Dr. Clark's nurse and asked her for a stronger prescription, it was she- no longer having the heart to lie to him, who confessed to Zachary that a stronger dosage would not help him…that his post-traumatic stress disorder meds were ineffective because they were placebos.

Zachary now sat behind the prosecution's table in the courtroom staring straight ahead as his attorney defended his case.

"Nurse Evelyn, have you ever witnessed Dr. Clark replace post-traumatic stress disorder medications with placebos- _sugar pills_?"

"Yes"

"Have you ever witnessed Dr. Clark give these placebos to any of his patients?"

"Yes I have" the nurse confesses, her voice shaking.

"And how many patients received these placebos?"

"Five. Five soldiers received the placebos, while five were given the authentic PTSD medication".

"Of the five soldiers who were given the placebo pills, was my client" Elyan turns to his left pointing to the plaintiff seated at the prosecution's table "among them?"

"Yes he was" the nurse responds her voice more stable.

"How can you discern that it was Zachary Thomas who received placebo pills and not in fact another soldier?"

The witnessed sat taller, her shoulders set and looked squarely at her former employer "Because I _personally_ witnessed Dr. Clark write his prescription on the designated placebo form" her voice no longer wobbly now held determination "I was also the nurse who was responsible for faxing the prescription forms to the chemist".

"Did Zachary Thomas ever give his consent to be used as Dr. Clark's lab rat?"

"Objection your Honor!" the defendant's attorney beseeched the judge.

"Let me rephrase the question" Elyan addresses the witness "Did Zachary Thomas ever give written or oral consent to take part in Dr. Clark's study?"

The witness looks to her left and addresses the jury "No. Not once".

"Thank you. I have no further questions your Honor" Elyan turns to the defense attorney "Your witness" then advances to his client, sits and places a reassuring hand on his shoulder then briefly whispers something into his ear.

* * *

><p>"This is certainly a new development on the case" Arthur thinks as he drives away from Mrs. Randall's residence. When Arthur questions Mrs. Randall about the events that she witnessed on the night of Tilly's murder, once again, she repeats her account of that night word-for-word just as she did two weeks ago. Except one thing; she now believes that Tilly is still alive. Arthur assures Mrs. Randall that he believes her and that he will call her to keep her in the know. He then calls Morgana to put out an APB on the car matching the description that Mrs. Randall gave him, if for nothing else; to put the grieving old woman's mind at ease, but also to be sure that no one has assumed Tilly Romney's identity. He also asks Morgana to send a squad car out to 19F Main Street to keep surveillance on the old woman's home- just in case this was Magnus Romney's plan to try and scare her out of testifying at his trial. Arthur parks his car and makes one more phone call as he's walking to the precinct.<p>

"Detective Pendragon. _You_ again." Guinevere answers, not trying to hide her annoyance.

"Guinevere" detecting her annoyance "sorry if I caught you at a bad time." he says "But I thought you'd like to know that there may be a new development on the case".

"Yes" Guinevere asks eagerly.

"Mrs. Randall believes that Tilly Romney is still alive, that she's seen her driving away from her home this morning".

"Poor thing must be in denial".

"That's what I thought. But she was adamant that she saw Tilly, even says that she responded when she called out to her".

"Detective- "

"Arthur".

"Sorry…"

"You can call me Arthur".

"…Arthur" there's the sandalwood again he thinks, a smile tugging at his lips "You and I both know that Tilly is dead, her corpse lying in the morgue. Though I'm not yet _familiar_ with Dr. Emrys, he seems to be quiet caring. So I have trouble believing that he plays _'Dr. Frankenstein'_ in his spare time". Arthur's smile grows wider and he actually laughs at her summation of Merlin.

"Believe me Guinevere…he's not as innocent as he appears".

Why does he say '_Guinevere_' like that? Gwen thinks. Moreover, why does it stir me when he does? "You can call me Gwen" she says wanting to see if his pronunciation of her nickname has the same effect.

"Gwen" she lets out a small sigh of relief. Good. Nothing, she thinks. "Na" Arthur shakes his head as he continues walking; now reaching the station's steps. "…Too rushed. '_Guinevere_' is actually worth saying the extra two syllables".

Gwen stops riffling through her handbag. '_Guinevere is actually worth saying the extra two syllables'_. That's what her father said to her once when she asked him why he insisted on calling her 'Guinevere' when everyone else simply called her 'Gwen'. She smiles wistfully, then is suddenly brought back to the present

"Guinevere? You still there?"

"Um…yeah. Sorry. About Mrs. Randall" she says, wanting to get back to the focus of the phone call "I'll have to pay her a visit to see how she's fairing. From what I understand she was quite close with Tilly. I think the poor thing is starting to distort reality. It happens, you know".

"Yeah" Arthur, now arrived at the precinct and sat behind his desk thinks wistfully "I know".

"I think it may be Romney behind this "_Tilly sighting_" just trying to scare Mrs. Randall out of testifying".

"I wouldn't put it above him, that _bastard_!" Arthur puts a hand over his mouth to muffle a small snicker, actually liking the disdain in Guinevere's voice when referring to the murderer.

"I have a policeman posted outside of her residence just in case he thinks to try something more".

"Good thinking detective- uh, Arthur" she corrects herself before he has the chance. "I was actually on my way to contact Joan Lucas; Tilly's mum, before you phoned. I'll inform you- _or_ DS Pendragon, if she gives me anything useful against her son-in-law".

"Thank you, we'd appreciate that" Arthur takes the hint.

"Good day, Arthur".

"Good day, Guinevere".

Once Guinevere finishes her phone call with Arthur she returns Joan Lucas's phone call, who invites Guinevere to her home for a proper introduction. Prior to that, Gwen only spoke briefly with Tilly's mother on the night she phoned her informing her of Tilly's death. She steeled herself for the hysterical screams, the wailing…the denial- all which usually followed immediately after one received such news, as was Gwen's experience. But they never came. Ms. Lucas was the opposite of hysterical, quite calm actually, almost as if she had anticipated the terrible news. She just sighed and quietly thanked Guinevere before ending the phone call. That was two weeks ago.

* * *

><p>"Dr. Clark" the defense attorney asks her client, now testifying on the stand "why did you conduct this study?"<p>

"I conducted the post-traumatic stress disorder study to see if I could help soldiers overcome their traumatic war experiences without drugs".

"I see. And why didn't you just ask for the plaintiff's permission for his role in the study?"

"I knew that the he may not have agreed to take part in my study".

"Objection! How could the defendant have known the state-of-mind of my client? Are you psychic as well Dr. Clark?" Elyan asks, not trying to hide his sarcasm.

"Objection sustained. Please save your _charades_ for game night counselor. Now take a seat" the judge orders Elyan.

"What else did you subscribe to your patients besides PTSD drugs, Dr. Clark?"

"They were also taking artistic therapy and seeing a psychologist".

"What is artistic therapy?"

"Artistic therapy is a process in which a patient channels his or her stress through artistic avenues; like painting, drawing or making sculptures to symbolize the thoughts or dreams they experience as a result of their traumas".

"And is this form of catharsis as effective as the PTSD drugs themselves?" the defense attorney asks her client.

"Studies have shown that artistic therapy is _just as effective_ as post-traumatic stress disorder medications".

"Thank you." The doctor's attorney then turns to Elyan "Your witness".

"Dr. Clark, how long have you been practicing medicine?"

"Twenty years".

"And in that twenty years, how many times have you ever withheld medications from a patient against his or her knowledge?"

The doctor shamefully bows his head, muffling his response.

"Can you speak up for the court" Elyan curtly asks the witness.

"This is the first time" the doctor answers into the microphone.

"So why Dr. Clark…why did you not just _ask_ for my client's permission to take part in your study, instead of giving him ineffective sugar pills?"

"I didn't think he would agree…my son didn't-" the doctor stops short of his full confession.

"What was that Dr. Clark? Your 'son didn't' _what_?"

The doctor looks up at Elyan, then over to the jury before finally settling his eyes on Zachary Thomas, who didn't look at all like he was _all_ there…and began to break down and sob. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…My son, Duncan" the doctor says between sobs "he was a war veteran. When he returned back home, he was never the same…the PTSD took over his life. I prescribed him some medication, but it wasn't strong enough" the doctor continues crying never taking his eyes off of Zachary "So I kept giving him a stronger dose…it didn't work. I tried to convince him to take artistic therapy but he refused. Eventually he turned to alcohol to silence all the nightmares…the hallucinations…the torment…until one day he silenced it all for good…a bullet to the head and a note apologizing to me" Dr. Clark is weeping so uncontrollably now, that Zachary is snapped out of his daze and actually gets up from his seat and makes his way over to the doctor…shocking everyone, including Elyan, by putting an arm around his shoulder.

"I'm so…so sorry" the doctor sobs against Zachary's chest "Please forgive me Mr. Thomas".

* * *

><p>When Gwen arrived to Ms. Lucas's estate she was greeted by her housekeeper who gave Gwen a warm and polite smile before leading her down the long foyer. There were several beautiful paintings that lined the halls…but not one family photo. Not even a picture of Tilly. This felt odd to Gwen. Mothers <em>always<em> kept photos of their children, chronologically lined against a wall or placed atop a mantle, from a child's first year of school; the first ballet recital, first football match, prom, graduation, college, to graduation again. Even when the children were gone and off in their own homes raising their own families, mothers always kept the photos of _their_ _children_, always wanting to remember them as they were, as children, wanting to remember the stages they went through to become adults. It was proof that a mother did what she was supposed to do: raise her children. That's just what mothers did. But Guinevere didn't see pictures of Tilly on the mantle above the fire place, on the walls of the foyer, or the wall leading upstairs. Gwen continued to walk down the hall until the housekeeper turned left and into a sitting room, where Gwen found Ms. Lucas in a large arm chair before a tea table that was already furnished with tea and biscuits.

"Ms. Lucas, your guest has arrived".

"Thank you Cynthia" she says kindly to her housekeeper who slightly bows her head and exits the room, then Ms. Lucas motions to the seat opposite her "Ms. Leodegrance, please have a seat".

"Thank you" Gwen says taking the offered seat. "And please, call me Gwen". Gwen has a full frontal-view of Ms. Lucas now and takes the opportunity to really look at the woman. She is a petite woman, with a small, round nose, an oval-shaped face, full lips, soft cheeks and wheat-coloured hair that was graying at the crown and temples. But it was her eyes that spoke to Gwen's assessing the most. They were gray, like ash, and quite big for such a small face. Gwen could sense that those eyes once held joy and happiness, love even, but now they were heavy, defeated and gloomy. Gwen remembered weighing Tilly in the same sense while she was alive. And _had_ Tilly been given the chance to breathe for another twenty or so years, she would look exactly like her mother.

"Once again Ms. Lucas, I'm very sorry for your loss".

"Thank you Gwen, dear" she says with a small wiry smile. "Tilda was a beautiful, _bright_, girl. Always studying and reading…always had her head buried in a book, that girl" Ms. Lucas's eyes gleam a bit as she continues. "I remember a few months before her tenth birthday, I asked what she wanted and she told me,

'I want a library, Mum'.

'A _library_' I said 'Why not a new doll or a lovely new dress?' "I can still remember how she wrinkled her nose at me as if I had just dragged dog poo into the house" Ms. Lucas allows a small laugh to escape, Gwen smiling in turn. "Then she says,

'I'm too _old_ for dolls, Mum, and I can _outgrow_ a dress. But I'll _never_ outgrow knowledge. _Books_ are knowledge, you know, and I want a library full of them!'

"Her eyes were so filled with wonder and amazement; just at the thought of books…I couldn't deny her. So for the next few weeks leading up to her birthday, I would wait until she was in school while I secretly snuck a tall cupboard from my chamber and filled it with as many books as I could find. I kept it locked and hidden in the attic until the eve her birthday, when I snuck up there whilst she was asleep and tied a large ribbon about the center. The following morning after breakfast, I took her by the hand and we climbed the stairs to the attic. I gave her a small key and told her 'This is the key to _your_ library, Tilly. Happy Birthday, dear' then I opened the door and stood aside as she rushed in. She jumped and squealed as if it was the best _library_ she'd ever seen then rushed at me with the tightest hug, the biggest smile and the happiest tears I'd ever seen. Tilly stayed up in that attic all day and well into the night, seated at the window and reading by moonlight when it got too dark. That's how I found her, asleep beneath the moonlight with _'Charlotte's Web' _sat on her chest; her favorite".

Gwen felt touched to be the beneficiary of such a warm and sweet memory, she felt obliged to share too. "'Charlotte's Web' was _also_ one of my favorites as a child. But I especially loved 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH' by Robert C. O'Brien; _even_ _now_, I find myself reaching for it on those days when I just want to forget about responsibility and just be a kid again".

"Tilly was the same way…I suppose that's why she became a librarian, sort of re-living her tenth birthday every day. It was one of the _happiest_ days of her life. As an adult she didn't have many of those" the gleam in Mrs. Lucas's eyes is gone now, gloom in its place.

Gwen gently attempts to steer back to Tilly's childhood trying to get Ms. Lucas to reveal some more. "Ms. Lucas, if you don't mind me asking, why aren't there any photos of Tilly on display in your home?" Gwen holds her breath, hoping she hasn't offended the grieving mother by being too intrusive.

"Well my husband, the girls' father, was a hard man and he didn't believe in showing affection or praise to the girls, publicly or privately." _'Girls'_ Gwen thinks, but doesn't interrupt. "As children, he never chased them around or played with them; he never laughed with or teased them. And as they became adults, he never applauded or congratulated them on _any_ of their achievements, no matter how much their eyes silently waited and pleaded for it. He didn't show them love as a father _should_. Their father provided for them, yes" she says turning her head and gesturing her arms around the luxuriously furnished sitting room "…but never a hug or a kiss; never an 'I'm proud of you' or 'You did well'. "Never an 'I love you'" Ms. Lucas silently shakes her head "I suppose that's why Tilly always looked to her boyfriends for love, always looking but never found it. Not in the man who _vowed_ to love her…or in the one man who was _supposed_ to love her, her father, who died a few years ago".

"I'm sorry" Gwen says, struggling to find just enough sincerity.

"No. Don't be. I loved my husband dearly, Gwen, but I also know that we are not destined for this world. My only hope is that in the _next_ world he will properly love and care for Tilly" she touches the Rosary at her neck and firmly holds it in her palm for a few moments. "I can only hope that Sabrina forgives herself for not speaking to her sister all those years…now that she's gone".

"Ms. Lucas, I didn't know that Tilly had a sister" Gwen says, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Oh yes…Sabrina. Sabrina and Tilda were _so_ different, as children and adults. When Tilly introduced us to Magnus all those years ago, Sabrina immediately dis-liked him, almost as if she knew something Tilly didn't…When Magnus finally proposed to Tilly, Sabrina told her that if she married him she would never speak to her sister again. As I told you before, Tilly always looked for a man's love and acceptance, Magnus gave that to her, so she married him. That was three years ago…three years and not a phone call between the twins."

'_Twins'?_ Gwen thought she heard incorrectly.

"Did you say that Tilly and Sabrina are twins?"

"Yes….Identical. Were it not for Sabrina's slightly blue left eye that she inherited from her father, even _I_ would have difficulty telling them apart".

So it all makes sense now…From her perspective, Mrs. Randall did see 'Tilly'. Only it wasn't Tilly, it was Sabrina.

"Ms. Lucas, do you mind if I step outside for a moment? I have to make an urgent phone call".

* * *

><p>AN: There you have it...Tilly has a twin sister.<p>

Thank you again for all of the reviews, alerts and story adds. I thank you all for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

Elyan still could not believe the events that transpired in court today. Though he's only been practicing law for three years now, he's never seen, or heard of, a confession of guilt on the witness stand during a trial. Usually it is up to the _jury_ to prove or disprove a criminal's guilt. But Dr. Clark was different. There was also something else that Elyan has never experienced as an attorney until today; a victim compassionately and completely forgiving his wrongdoer and asking for his transgressor's lenient retribution. Yet again, Zachary Thomas was different. Elyan walked into the lobby of his law firm greeted by the firm's secretary and his colleague; the later flirting with the former.

"Good Afternoon, Elyan".

"Good Afternoon, Mona" Elyan nods to acknowledge his friend "…Gwaine", who then asks about the case.

"So, how'd it go today?"

"Honestly, I'm still a bit stunned…I've never witnessed such a display of raw emotion and forgiveness all at once before" Elyan shakes his head in amazement "Between a defendant and a plaintiff no less".

"How so?" Mona asks.

"Well the defendant, Dr. Clark, was accused by my client, Zachary Thomas; who now suffers from PTSD as a result of his war experiences, of withholding his PTSD drugs and substituting them with placebos. As it turns out, Dr. Clark had a son who was a war veteran as well that became addicted to the drugs. When they no longer held any effectiveness, he eventually committed suicide" Mona gasps, covering her mouth and shaking her head in sympathy for the stranger "That's terrible" she finally says.

"Right" Elyan agrees "And that is why Dr. Clark began his experiment, determined to see if other soldiers could overcome their post-traumatic stress without drugs. In _his_ mind he was just trying to save Zachary and the other soldiers diagnosed with the disorder from his own son's fate".

"Zachary must have sensed the same" Gwaine offers.

"Exactly. One of the things that Zachary confided in me was that while overseas, he was forced to kill a boy in order to save his own life. I suppose that's what hit him the hardest…Knowing that that boy must have had a family, a father, who loved him dearly…must've been what compelled Zachary to find sympathy for Dr. Clark, perhaps somehow seeing in him the father of the boy whom he was obligated to kill. After all, Dr. Clark is just a grieving father who ultimately lost his son to war as well".

"When will the wars ever cease…? Can't we just, for once, live in harmony?" Mona asks no one particular.

"I think the jurors share your view of utopia, Mona. While they found Dr. Clark guilty of medical mal-practice; medical negligence, violating the Doctor's Code of "First, do no harm onto others", endangering the safety of Zachary as well as endangering the safety of the public, the judge suspended his medical license and per Zachary's request of leniency, he will spend only one year in _minimum_ security prison followed by a psychiatric evaluation and his sentence will be concluded with several hundred hours community service at a government funded medical clinic before he is reviewed by the Medical Board who will either revoke, or lift the suspension on his medical license".

"I'd say that's a fair punishment, considering the alternative…" Gwaine says.

"Indeed. Zachary will also receive the authentic PTSD medication, if he still desires. He has also considered increasing his artistic therapy sessions, stating that he does find them helpful".

"Not that it means much, considering the circumstances of the case, but congratulations on the victory, El. Looks like everyone was a winner in court today" Gwaine claps his friend on the back.

"I don't think "_Little Miss Muffet_" would agree" Elyan laughs. Gwaine, understanding the connotation, joins him.

"Who's 'Little Miss Muffet'" Mona asks confusedly at the two laughing attorneys.

* * *

><p>Dr. Clark's attorney walks into the police station and heads for the lifts. Once she reaches her desired floor, she heads straight for the Chief of Detectives' office. "Vivian, darling" the chief regards his daughter, standing to hug her and kiss her gently on the cheek "how was court today?"<p>

"Oh, Daddy, you should have _seen_ my client! A complete sap!" the dispassionate lawyer says plunking down into her father's imported-leather office chair.

"Who is he?" Chief Oliver asks.

"Dr. Simon Clark. I know I would have won the jury over had he not sat on the witness stand and crumbled…like a small child caught sneaking a pudding before supper, confessing his guilt".

"Dr. Clark, you say. His son was a war veteran, committed suicide if I remember correctly" Chief Oliver says reflectively.

"So I've _heard_" Vivian says unceremoniously "Dr. Clark brought it up during his theatrical breakdown, siting it as the reason why he began his experiment in the first place…to save weak and broken soldiers from killing themselves" Vivian says disinterestedly while carefully scrutinizing her gel manicure.

"Vivian" Chief Oliver says brusquely, snapping her out of her study "that's no way to speak of the men and women who fight and risk their lives to protect this country and our freedoms- including that manicure of yours!" he says pointing to the hand his daughter was examining a moment ago.

"You're right, father. I'm sorry" she says sweetly and batting her blonde lashes "I just hate losing" the ice present in her voice once more.

"Believe it or not sweetheart" the chief says tilting his daughter's chin so she can look up at him "losing builds character…or so they tell me" he says smugly and winking at his daughter, earning him a dazzling smile and a giggle. "Besides, if I know my daughter, I'm sure you've already been paid your usual handsome retainer fee- in full."

"Of _course_ father- I'm no fool!" Vivian replies, as if being genuinely insulted.

"Good. And I have no doubt that you can get his punishment reduced, whatever it is". Vivian had already thought of repealing Dr. Clark's sentence, as she nods her head in agreement.

"What is _she _doing here?" Morgana asks Leon, pointing her chin in Vivian's direction. "Probably here to borrow one of 'daddy's' credit cards" Leon says, an octave higher, batting his lashes doing in his best Vivian impersonation and earning a laugh from his girlfriend and her brother, who's now joined the pair.

"Arthur, although it was done in a cold way…I'm so glad that Vivian finally made you see reason" Morgana whispers to her brother "And to think, you could have actually been _married_ to that woman" she concludes feigning a shiver.

"Dodged a major one there, mate" Leon says to Arthur looking over his shoulder at Vivian, then taps Arthurs chest twice before walking back to his station to avoid the, now approaching, blonde.

"Morgana" Vivian addresses the detective with mock excitement "Glad to see you're as fashionable as ever" the attorney says after giving the detective a once-over, referencing to Morgana's wine coloured long sleeve t-shirt, slate coloured slacks, almost always, adorned at the waist with her gun holster and firearm, and police-issued black oxfords.

"Vivian" Morgana replies just as saccharinely "While I'm flattered by your approval of my attire, I would have _so_ loved to come to work in a pair of stiletto-pumps and a three-piece suit. Alas my position as detective sergeant does not accommodate for such fashion, seeing as I have to run and _shoot,_ at criminals at any given moment. But you" Morgana says, scrutinizing the attorney from head-to-toe "…you pull the look off very well. Which is more than I can say for your _meth lab_-blonde hair" Morgana concludes, earning a few snickers from the surrounding officers and detectives trafficking through the hallway, including Arthur.

"Oh, Morgana" Vivian says through a tight smile, stealing a glance at Arthur "ever the comedienne".

"Well, what can I say? You bring out the best in me. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have criminals to go apprehend…some of which I'm sure you will no doubt be defending soon".

"_Innocent_ until proven guilty, Morgana".

"…Whatever helps you sleep at night, Vivian". As Morgana makes her way to the lifts, Arthur calls out to her "…Right behind you Morgana".

"Arthur" Vivian steps in front of the detective, halting his exit "I was hoping that we could go and have a bite to eat, catch up on old times" she says sweetly, but her cerulean eyes beckon him with seduction.

Arthur looks into her eyes, the same eyes he once swore to himself that he'd never tire gazing into. They held such love…or so he thought, now they revealed nothing but deceit and calculation, both of which no longer worked on him. "…'catch up on old times'" Arthur tilts his head to one side "You mean, like reminisce on fond memories?"

"Yes" Vivian says brightly.

"If _memory_ serves me correctly, you once said that as a boyfriend, I was…what was it…Ah yes 'Arthur you're like an apple; firm, beautiful, delicious and good for you…but ultimately dull and ordinary'" he says, remembering the hurtful words, verbatim. "There you have it Vivian" Arthur says, hoping his voice was firm and unaffected by the painful memory as he glared at his ex-fiancé "fond memories. _Plus_ I just saved you about one hundred pounds on our dining excursion. Now, if you would kindly step aside…" Arthur makes to move around Vivian after she refuses to as he asked, when his mobile rings. He reaches into his pocket and fishes his phone out, the caller I.D. reads: "Sandalwood". He takes a moment to re-school his vexed features, not wanting his current mood to affect his voice, and then answers the phone.

"Guinevere" 'Guinevere?' Vivian utters quietly to herself, her eyes narrowing.

"She has a twin!" Gwen blurts out in a hushed tone, not wanting to call attention to herself, remembering she's still at Ms. Lucas's residence.

"Okay, Guinevere, I think I've caught you mid-sentence…You're going to have to backtrack a bit". _Why is he smiling?_ Vivian thinks _And did he just bit his lip?_ She's fuming now.

"…Right. Sorry. Tilly…Tilly has an identical twin sister, Sabrina. _That_ must have been who Mrs. Randall saw in front of her residence this morning".

"That makes perfect sense actually".

"I'm still here, having tea with Ms. Lucas; lovely woman really. I'm going to continue chatting with her since she seems to be enjoying the stroll down memory lane. I'm sure I can get her to tell me a bit about Magnus Romney and the whereabouts of Sabrina, who I'm quite interested to meet now" then Gwen remembers how suddenly she called "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything…I would've called Detective Sergeant Morgana, but I don't have her mobile number just yet".

"No" Arthur says into the receiver looking at Vivian, who at the moment found a bulletin notice on the hallway kiosk very interesting "you weren't interrupting anything".

"Good. I have to get back to Ms. Lucas now. Oh, one more thing Arthur" God, he could live his life fully content just having Guinevere _breathe_ his name that way "please drop by Mrs. Randall's; I don't think I'll have the chance to, just to let her know what's really what".

"Of course I will".

"Thank you. And when you get the chance to, please text me your sister's number- wouldn't want you getting tired of hearing my voice" Guinevere says with a small laugh, before ending the call.

'…Impossible' Arthur says quietly before putting his mobile back into his pocket, causing Vivian to turn and face him.

"So, you fancy Guinevere Leodegrance" _How does she know Guinevere?_ Arthur thinks, before realizing that the two must know of one another; being attorneys and all "I must say Arthur" Vivian takes two steps forward and reaches to adjust the right collar of Arthur's pale-blue button down shirt as he stands still, allowing her "I never thought I'd see the day when your tastes in women would change" Vivian smiles internally thinking that she must have _really_ did some damage to cause him to shun blondes in favour of curly, brunettes. "While I admit Guinevere _is_ beautiful, she's not at all the likes of me".

"Arthur, are you coming or not?" Morgana calls impatiently to her brother from the lifts.

Arthur takes Vivian's small wrist into his strong hand and holds it gently as he takes another step forward, closing the distance between them, and he looks softly into her eyes "I'm glad that we agree on Guinevere. Though I wouldn't wish _the likes of you_ on my worst enemy" he whispers coolly and gruffly releases her wrist, steps around her and heads down the corridor to the lifts, entering them with his sister and leaving his ex-fiancé standing there; red, rejected and enraged.

* * *

><p>"Merlin, how 'bout we go to lunch…My treat" Lance asks his friend, stopping by the lab after leaving the police station.<p>

Lance Du Lac and Merlin met while they were at university; Merlin double-majored in chemistry and forensic science, while Lance double-majored in forensic science and computer science. Lance could have become a forensic scientist like his friend, but quickly grew disinterested in examining crime scenes and corpses; he much preferred working with technology, though sometimes he free-lanced in forensics to keep his mind sharp. The Albion Police Department hired Lance and Arthur right after the three friends graduated from university, while Merlin did his internship in the lab; eventually being hired as the medical examiner.

"I brought my own lunch, Lance, and enough for two in fact; if you'd like some" Merlin regards his friend without looking up from the specimen slide under the microscope he was examining.

"Do you still keep your lunch in the same refrigerator where you keep your specimens and organs?" Lance asks grimacing.

"Yes I do".

"Merlin, that's disgusting!"

"Cold air is cold air, Lance. Stop being such a _girl_!"

"…Sounds like something Arthur would say" Lance says while making his way to Merlin's mini-fridge. "The last time you offered me some of your lunch…it was sitting next to someone's heart" Lance says now cautiously opening the fridge.

"Well it wasn't still _beating_, was it?" Merlin throws sarcastically over his shoulder.

"Something about having a dead man's heart right next to a cobb salad… just isn't very appetizing" Lance says, fully opening the fridge and exhaling in relief when he finds Merlin's, or more appropriately; Merlin's mum's, lasagna sitting on the fridge's top shelf next to a large Caesar salad; and nothing more.

"You're right, I'm sorry. Next time I'll make sure he's still alive" Merlin says with a small snicker, teasing his sensitive-stomached friend, and earning him a flick on his elephantine ear; resulting in a scowl for the offender. "I thought you were going to the hospital to- _stalk_-ask Elena out to lunch" Merlin says teasingly, not looking up to see Lance's narrow-eyed glare.

"And _you_ would know a thing or two about stalking wouldn't you?" it's now Lance's turn to tease "Both Elena and I know that you don't just go to Albion General Hospital to visit Dr. Gaius…There's a particular petite brown-eyed brunette nurse who has caught your eye, isn't there?" Lance smiles knowingly at his friend, whose face has now turned the colour of strawberry, a colour that Lance can only describe as "Merlin-red".

"Dr. Gaius is my favorite uncle…"

"Your only uncle" Lance reminds him.

"…he's taught me everything I know, and I gladly donate my time to the hospital to show my gratitude" Merlin says with a straight face, or at least what he hopes is a straight face.

"Right…And yet you spend most of your _donated time_ perusing the infant ward…when Dr. Gaius is indeed the Chief Surgeon of the operating unit. Why is that?"

"Just shut up and eat!" Merlin snaps, having enough of Lance's interrogation, while his friend just laughs it off, placing the lasagna dish into the microwave oven.

"Come now Merlin, I'm only teasing" Lance smiles warmly at his friend, who seems to calm down a bit at this "But you know, just as well as I, that you've fancied Felicia for as long as I've fancied Elena and the sooner we admit it, the sooner we can ask them out to a proper lunch date instead of sitting here" Lance gestures around the stark white, sterile laboratory "and eating with specimens".

"They would make far better company, wouldn't they?" Merlin agrees with a crooked grin.

"That's the spirit!" Lance takes his plate out of the microwave and brings both his and Merlin's over to the medical examiner, who has now put aside the lab microscopes; clearing the table, and places them along with the Caesar salad and two bottles of water on the table, then they dig in. "You'll have to thank your mum for me Merlin" Lance says around a generous bite of the pasta "this is delicious".

"Actually I made it" Merlin shrugs lightly, accepting the compliment.

Lance puts his fork down and carefully eyes Merlin "I don't have to worry about any sorbitol or anything, do I?" he asks skeptically while reaching for a napkin- just in case.

Merlin grins, remembering his prank on Arthur so long ago "So long as you stay away from my beakers…you have nothing to fear".

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><p>Guinevere could hear the smile in Arthur's voice as he spoke with her…that's why she was so quick to end the phone conversation. Not only that, but he insisted on calling her by her full first name, even though she already suggested he use her moniker. <em>Why is he teasing me?<em> She thinks. _Does he think that he can just toy with me for sport? Just like…No. I won't allow him…I won't go through that again. I'm much stronger now…They're all just the same._ Guinevere snaps out of her thoughts, shuts her mobile off and returns back inside Ms. Lucas's home. Finally reaching the sitting room, Ms. Lucas looks up at her. "Is everything alright dear?" she asks kindly.

"Yes" Guinevere responds in the like and resumes her position on the sitting chair opposite Ms. Lucas "I just remembered that I had to call one of the detectives working on Tilly's…" Gwen looks at the grieving mother and chooses her next words carefully "…behalf". Ms. Lucas smiles gently in response, appreciating Gwen's acknowledging her grief, using the words "Tilly's behalf" instead of what she really meant "Tilly's murder trial".

Gwen thought that she might as well be honest and straight forward with Ms. Lucas, so she reached for the delicate china-teacup before her on the tea table, and took a small sip of tea to calm her nerves. "Ms. Lucas" Gwen says politely "I'm going to be completely honest with you…and for the success of your daughter's case, I'd appreciate it if you show me the same courtesy".

The woman straightens up a bit in her chair, measuring the sincerity in the voice and eyes of the young attorney seated opposite her, believing that she will fight tooth and nail for the justice of her late child, then nods her head positively. "You have my full cooperation Ms. Leodegrance".

"Thank you. According to one of our main witness…she believes that she saw Tilly in front of her home this morning. Now, based on the information that you shared with me a while ago, I now know that who she saw was most likely Sabrina in front of the Romney household. Ms. Lucas, do you have any idea as to where your daughter may be right now?"

Gwen didn't hear the footsteps that approached the sitting room; she was so focused on Ms. Lucas in her questioning, until the small woman looked from Gwen and up to her left at the doorway, her gray eyes landing on her now only child. "I'm right here".

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><p>Morgana kept stealing glances of her brother out of the corner of her eye as she drove. Finally reaching a stop at the traffic light she takes the opportunity to question him. "Are you alright there, <em>Goldenboy<em>?" she asks, using their father's nickname for Arthur. Arthur turns from gazing outside the passenger window and smiles at his sister, just as she'd hoped. Seeing his genuine smile, she knows that he is not thinking of Vivian; as she had presumed, and releases a silent sigh of relief. "So you are alright. May I ask then what, or _who_, is occupying your thoughts and leaving me to drive in this unnatural silence?" she arches a thick, manicured brow at her brother.

Arthur, not wanting to share his thoughts with his sister, stalls a bit while turning to look back out the window. He silently thanks God when the traffic light changes and quickly points this out to Morgana "…Your light".

"Oh you're not gonna get off that easily…I'll just pull over". Knowing that she had every intention of doing just that, Arthur speaks up "I was just thinking of the Romney murder trial".

"Oh please!" Morgana says, making a right turn further up the road "_That_ wouldn't put a school-boy-crush-smile on your face" she says stealing another glance at her brother "What is it with you and attorneys…?"

"What?" Arthur feigns ignorance.

"…Gwen…That's who you were thinking about" Morgana says matter-of-factly, slowing the car down as she makes her way onto Plymouth Street.

"How could you have possibly known that?" Arthur asks stunned.

"I didn't…_You_ just told me" Morgana stops the car now and turns over, smiling mischievously at her brother. Arthur mentally chides himself for falling for her old trick.

"Ever since she chewed me up and accused me of being an inadequate copper a couple of weeks ago…" Arthur looks at the, very rare, shocked-silent state of his sister, and then changes his course of speech "…I just don't want to let her down. I don' t want to let Tilly down" he corrects himself, frustrated and embarrassed for being flustered before his little sister and makes to exit the car, when Morgana reaches out her hand to still him.

"I was only kidding when I said that you have a thing for attorneys…Though I may not know Gwen yet, I can tell that she's _not at all_ the likes of Vivian…" Arthur pauses and thinks back to the same exact words his exe uttered only a few minutes ago "…That witch is in a class all her own" Morgana finishes disdainfully. Then her voice softens "Gwen's different. She's feisty, but it's well intended. And just like us, she really cares about this job; she cares about the citizens of Albion. If she didn't, she wouldn't have '_chewed you up_' as you so eloquently put it" Morgana gestures to her brother for them to exit her car. When they close the doors and she locks up, they walk stride-in-stride as Morgana finishes "Though you don't need my approval…"

"When has that ever stopped you?" Arthur tosses at his sister who responds with light elbow jab to his ribs.

"…I like Gwen, and I like her for you. If _you_ decide that you like her too, don't allow past mistakes; _yours_ or others, to stand in your way". Arthur looks at his little sister as they continue in stride; the same one that he used to give dating advice to; although taking her to the shooting range and teaching her how do displace the weight of the palm of her hand evenly to properly slap a man, wouldn't really be considered advice, then he put his right arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and kissing her briefly on the forehead, before putting her in loose headlock as they continued up the street.

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><p>Merlin had been very busy the past couple of weeks; in the lab, the morgue, volunteering at the hospital…the time that he took to actually sit down and have a full-hour lunch break with Lance did him some good. He was able to relax, laugh and think. It was the time to think that paid off the most. Something nagged at Merlin about Tilly…He felt that he didn't devote his usual amount of time to examine her body; although he'd already done so twice. So he decided to re-examine Tilly Romney for a third time; and it's a good thing he did…<p>

…Arthur and Morgana were at the morgue about twenty minutes after Merlin called them.

"Hey Merlin" Morgana greets her friend, grabbing two pairs of gloves and masks; handing a pair each to her brother, lest he forget, before prepping herself "What was so urgent that couldn't wait for tomorrow?" she asks as the Pendragon pair make their way over to the doctor.

"This" Merlin says, pointing to an x-ray photo of a pelvis.

"It's a pelvis…What about it?" Arthur asks impatiently.

"It's _Tilly's_ pelvis. I decided to x-ray her body once more, looking for healed fractures, signs of abuse…anything that could be used against her husband at her murder trial, and I found that her pelvic cavity is expanded. If you look here" Merlin says pointing near the hollow of the pelvis in the x-ray photo "her pubic symphysis and sacroiliac joints have enlarged in width".

Arthur looked at his friend, understanding that he was a professional doctor with an extensive medical vocabulary, and fought the urge not to smack him upside the head for not using simpler terms that he and Morgana could actually understand. "Merlin…in laymen's terms".

The medical examiner looks exasperatedly back and forth at the detectives,

"Tilly Romney was recently pregnant".

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><p>AN: I'm just as shocked as some of you may be. I have no idea where this story is taking me...but <em>it's<em> definitely doing the leading.

Thank you for all of the reviews, alerts and adds. I hope you all are enjoying reading just as much as I'm enjoying thinking/writing it :)


	9. Chapter 9

A N:/ To those of you who may be wondering...Chief Oliver is Olaf; as this is an AU/ Modern day fic, I just couldn't picture anyone named Olaf in modern day Albion/England. Felicia IS NOT Freya. Honestly, I felt that the relationship betwen Freya and Merlin on the show was abrupt, and just as abruptly; they killed her off. I will go more into detail about Felicia and Merlin, as well as all of the pairings in this fic. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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><p>When Morgana received Gwen's call, she and Arthur were at 'Gilli's'; still reeling from the news that Merlin revealed to them the night prior about Tilly's pregnancy. Their entire day at the police station was spent logging in files and paperwork for previous cases; freeing up more time for the detective duo to fully dedicate themselves to Magnus Romney's murder trial; and discover more about Tilly's, ever unraveling, life, after death. Luckily Arthur had not had the chance to finish his beer when Morgana relayed the message from Gwen's phone call. He paid for his and his sister's canceled- meal; bidding his fellow cohorts and Gilli goodnight, then they made their way to his vehicle.<p>

Arthur broke nearly every traffic law in Albion, with his mad pursuit to get across town to Gwen's office. Meanwhile Morgana had half-a-mind to call Leon to write up those traffic citations; and even threatened to do so a couple of times, before her brother finally adjusted to the legal speed limit.

"Arthur, are you mad? You ran _at least_ two traffic lights back there…"

"I did not" he huffs; almost running another light, before coming to a screeching halt. He punches the steering wheel in frustration and swears under his breath; not wanting his choice-words to offend his little sister. "Can these lights _take_ any longer to change?" he grunts impatiently.

Morgana takes the opportunity to vex him even further; still slightly upset from his erratic driving. "You haven't answered my question Arthur". He turns over to his sister, cutting his eyes at her just before the light signals for him to drive again. "What are you going on about now Morgana?"

"I asked you if you're mad".

"I grew up with you for a sister…How can I not be?" Arthur asks not too kindly; but immediately regrets it "I'm sorry" he says kindly this time; eyes still fixed on the road and driving "I didn't mean that".

"I know" Morgana shrugs off the insult "It's alright. Besides, I already have the answer to my question" she says, smiling smugly.

Arthur gives her a quick side-eye glance, while slowing down and nearing a stop at another traffic light. Then he fully turns to face his confronter "And what exactly would that answer be?" he asks mockingly.

"You, my dear brother, _are_ mad…Madly in love that is" she answers wittily. Arthur recedes in his seat, ready to retort something; but Morgana is prepared "And don't you even try to deny it! This is _me_ you're talking to after all". She was right. But he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of being so.

"I called Guinevere several times today…When she didn't pick up, I admit, I was a bit worried. Last I heard from her, she was at the home of a; Ms. Joan Lucas. I've never met the woman; she could be a nuttah' for all I know!" The light signals go, and Arthur resumes driving.

"So what you're saying is…you're only concerned for Gwen's safety, yes?" Morgana asks with her eyes narrowed; not buying the excuse she was given.

"Precisely" Arthur says with more conviction than necessary.

"…Liar!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"_You're_ a liar". Arthur heaves a sigh and shakes his head in frustration, not wanting to give his sister the benefit of being right; yet again. _When did I become so easy to read?_ He thinks. "What do you want from me Morgana?"

"The truth would be nice" she says not missing a beat.

"Fine…The truth is, I just violated a mass of traffic laws a while ago, and I'm jealous that Guinevere called you instead of me tonight. It's been two weeks since I've seen her, so that's why I'm driving like a mad man to get to her office" Arthur says in one breath, then pauses to regain some composure; realizing that he just spilled his private, intimate thoughts to his sister; giving her the delight that he so adamantly tried to deny her. "There. Satisfied?" he says throwing one hand in the air, while keeping the other firmly on the steering wheel.

"And?" she says coaxingly, with her arms crossed against her chest.

""_And?_"…what?" Arthur asks; honestly confused and quite frankly, tired of his sister's psyche analysis.

"The bracelet" Morgana says pointedly, while enjoying seeing her brother's eyes go wide with; fear? embarrassment? She couldn't tell. But the enjoyment doesn't last for long, as he brings the car to a screeching halt; having arrived at their destination. "What did you just say?" he asks incredulously.

"Arthur, you've had that bracelet for what…two weeks now? Had it belonged to anyone else, you'd have left it at the "Claims Desk" with Constable William" Morgana says matter-of-factly.

"But…how did you know?" Arthur asks after some time.

"I saw you fiddling with it last week when I came into your office to invite you to 'Gilli's'. You thought I didn't see…so I let you think that; sparing you the embarrassment of an explanation, and knowing that you hadn't meant for me to see it in the first place. But I thought you would have returned it to her by now".

"I tried!" he says suppliantly "But she hasn't exactly been available…until tonight".

"Hmmm" is all Morgana says, unconvinced "So you mean to tell me that you haven't been holding on to it in hopes that she realizes that it's missing; forcing her to backtrack her steps… and eventually leading her to you?" she asks her brother skeptically, while trying not to laugh at the look on his face.

Arthur looks at his impossible sister with narrowed eyes and shakes his head "That's absolutely insane!" he says in amazement "…Even for you" then he pulls the key out of the ignition and opens his door to exit the car, telling his sister to wait while he walks across the front of the car to the passenger's side and opens the door for her. "Is it?" she says after she thanks him and exits the car, walking with her brother to the sidewalk; her elbow locked with his.

"Morgana" Arthur shakes his head at the imaginative woman, thinking how little she has changed since childhood "I like Guinevere…a lot. So how exactly would holding her bracelet captive get her to like me in return?"

"You're right" she says reflectively "I guess that wouldn't help your case after all. But neither will holding onto the bracelet for two weeks now. She must be quite busy to not notice that it's been gone all this time. But you have to give it back Arthur".

"Well it's not like I planned on keeping it, if that's what you're implying" he says, feigning offense, as they continue toward Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Offices. "I'll return it to her tonight".

"Oh, can I see it first?" Morgana asks excitedly "I'd only gotten a small glimpse of it the last time" Arthur reaches into his left front pant pocket, and then pulls out the small gold I.D. bracelet; placing it carefully into his sister's awaiting palm "Aww" she coos "It's so tiny. There's no way she still wears this. To continue keeping it on her person…it must mean a great deal to her" Morgana turns the little wristlet one final time under the light of the street lamp at the corner, before handing it back to Arthur.

"I'm sure it does" he says, pocketing it "that's why I want to be sure that _she_ receives it and not some…assistant or other".

Once Arthur and Morgana arrive at the law firm, Mona ushers the detectives into Gwen's office, where she already has a stainless-steel coffee dispenser set up and Chinese takeaway en route; it was sure to be a long night. Mona didn't have any night classes, so she decided to stay behind to study some of her law school notes and to wait for Gwen to accompany her home; not wanting her friend to travel home alone so late at night. Although judging from the way the male detective was eyeing Gwen…he'd more than gladly ensure her safety and escort her home; his _or_ hers. Mona gives the blonde a final once-over before grinning ear-to-ear, thrusting her thumb up, with a dance of her eyebrows over his shoulder to Gwen; who rolls her eyes at her _subtle_ friend, then exits the office and heads back to the lobby to study.

This exchange does not go unnoticed by Morgana- nor does the eager look in her brother's eyes for the petite attorney; who continues to avoid his gaze. Arthur had been trying to reach Guinevere all day; even calling the firm a few times to get a hold of her, but to no avail. Unbeknownst to him, Guinevere had _purposefully_ eluded the detective, wanting to put even more distance between he and her; even though knowing full and well that they had to work together on this case. But that didn't matter. She just wanted some time to think about her meetings with Joan and Sabrina Lucas, without having Arthur Pendragon's voice swirling around in her head, arousing sensations and provoking thoughts that she vowed to never allow herself to experience again; lest she be hurt once more. Instead, Gwen phoned Morgana; after Arthur kept his promise and texted his sister's number, and then asked for both detectives to meet at her office for an update.

Now that he was there in person, the nonchalance and distance that Guinevere had tried so hard to implement was slowly dissipating. Although Gwen now had her back to the detectives; purposefully frolicking with a few files on her desk, she could feel Arthur boring his gaze into her…causing her to draw deep breaths to steady herself. Morgana lightly jabs Arthur in his ribs; signaling for him to behave, as Gwen reluctantly turns around and walks over to greet her guests.

"DS Morgana" she shakes Morgana's hand, then turns to Arthur and does the same "DI Arthur. I apologize for the hour" Gwen says; avoiding the rush of current that jolted up her arm and coursed throughout her body as Arthur shook her hand, locking- penetrating eyes with her…which she quickly diverts to the clock on the left wall; that now reads eleven o'clock PM, as she breaks the handshake "I would have requested your presence earlier…but I've had a busy day here at the office, and I would imagine that you two have been busy as well. But again, I do apologize for the inconvenience of it all, and I've even taken the liberty of ordering dinner for us all; I hope you like Chinese…" Gwen supplicates to the detectives.

"Are you kidding? We have them on speed-dial at the station" Arthur jokes nervously, hoping to get that sweet, sandalwood laugh out of Guinevere. She doesn't disappoint, as she chuckles lightly and nods her head in agreement.

"But we do spend a fair amount of time dining at 'Gilli's' too" Morgana adds.

"'Gilli's'" Gwen says brightly "They have the _best_ chips; always crispy, never soggy, and salted to perfection!" she says, shuddering delightfully and biting her lower lip at the food memory.

Both Arthur and Morgana nod in accord, impressed with the attorney's accurate description of the dish at their favorite eating and hangout spot; all the while Arthur is trying to keep his mind from steering to a place where he can imagine making Guinevere shiver and bite her lip…So he closes his eyes and shakes his head slightly; as if that would wane the image, then lightly clears his throat "I didn't think you would know about 'Gilli's'; considering you work clear across town from the police station" Arthur says.

"Well" Gwen says and gestures to the detectives to have a seat at the tablecloth-lined folding table that was placed at the right side of her office; Mona's idea, where they were to assess their findings on the case and dine for the evening. Once they are all seated, Gwen continues "I popped in once with Lance after visiting with him at your stationhouse. He told me that I just _had_ to try the house special, so I did…and it was all I could do to keep myself from ordering a second portion; it was so good" she laughs. Arthur would have enjoyed the sweet laugh that he had now sought after, a little more, had the thought of Guinevere and Lance not left him momentarily paralyzed; then just as quickly, filled with jealousy.

"How do you know Lance?" Morgana asks, sensing the question that her brother was now too lost in thought; no doubt, thoughts of strangling the computer tech, to pose her.

"Lance…He, Elyan and I grew up together. When we were younger, he and I would have a standing tea-time with my china-dolls and his beloved stuffed monkey; which if I remember correctly, he called "Monkeyan"...until Elyan got his hands on him, to play 'Dr. Watson' to his 'Sherlock Holmes'. My dolls were often the subject of their investigations; as Lance would hide them all around the house, then give Elyan clues to their whereabouts so he could then find them, and he even buried one in the backyard once; which I had them dig up, then gave them both the silent-treatment for an entire week" Gwen pauses to scowl at the childhood memory, as Morgana laughs lightly; completely empathizing with the attorney as she thinks of the little pranks and games that Arthur and Merlin played against her when they were children. "We went to the same grammar school and high school, and our families would even go on holidays together; mostly trips to France, where Lance's family are from, and where his gran still lives. Lance is like a brother to Elyan and me, and although I don't get to see him as often anymore…he's always just a basket of fish-and-chips away" Gwen concludes with a smile. Arthur breathes a quiet sigh of relief. _'Lance is like a brother to me'_ he thinks, replaying Guinevere's words in his mind, and just as quickly as it appeared, his funky mood dissolves. A knock at Gwen's office door breaks the group's small chat "Come in" Gwen says.

Mona opens the door to peer her head in "The food's arrived" she says, then ducks back out and walks to the lobby. Gwen goes to her purse to fetch her wallet, and then heads after Mona to the lobby. After she pays and tip's the deliveryman, she tries to convince Mona to join her and the detectives in her office to partake in the meal. But Mona politely declines the offer, claiming that she has to study and that she doesn't want to hear the details of Tilly's case; as she's not a privileged party. Gwen, understanding and accepting her logic and reasons, hands Mona a small container of spring rolls and another container of chicken & broccoli; having had the foresight to order her friend's favorites beforehand, and gives her a small peck on the cheek. "If you need any texts to reference your notes to, just pop into the office and help yourself, okay?"

"Thanks Gwennie" Mona smiles at her friend "And relax a bit in there…He looks harmless" she winks, then sits back and digs into the spring rolls, while turning to the next page in her notebook.

_Looks can be deceiving_ Gwen thinks, then heads back to her office.

After the trio dig into the food; neither of them realizing just how hungry they really were, Gwen begins to relay her conversation with Sabrina Lucas, to the detectives.

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><p><em>Sabrina walked into the sitting room and walked to her mother; who stood to greet her lone daughter, hugging her tightly almost willing her to stay…stay home, stay alive. Once Ms. Lucas releases her daughter, she extends her hand to Guinevere and the attorney does the same; a bit cautiously though, still not quite believing that Tilly has an identical twin sister, as they shake hands. "I'm Sabrina Lucas" she introduces herself.<em>

"_It's nice to meet you Sabrina. I'm Guinevere Leodegrance. I was- am…I am the attorney representing your sister at her murder trial" Gwen finally settles._

"_Thank you Ms. Leodegrance"._

"_Please, call me Gwen"._

"_Thank you Gwen" Sabrina says as she takes a seat facing Gwen, beside her mother. "Judging from the look on your face...I can see that Tilly never had the chance to tell you about me"._

"_I'm sorry if I'm gaping…I just…You two really are identical" Gwen says a bit awe struck._

"_We look the same…yes. But we are not identical" Sabrina corrects the lawyer; not unkindly. "Tilly always looked to others for validation; mostly from our father…But I always told her that she should be her own woman, have her own identity. As much as I loved being her twin, I also felt it was important for us to be ourselves. In fact, after grammar school, I was the one who insisted that we not dress alike or style our hair the same, I even wanted for us to attend separate high schools. I just didn't want people to compare us anymore" Sabrina pauses and looks over at her mother; who takes her child's hand into hers and clasps it between her warm, gentle hands; soothing her daughter and allowing her to continue. "But I quickly realized that I was the stronger of us two; emotionally and psychologically, and I didn't want people taking advantage of my sister, so it was my job to protect her. When we were little, she would always play with dolls, while I opted for toy cars; wanting to find something for my father and I to talk about, but he was always too busy to talk to me; us. Once, she took one of her dolls to school with her, and one of the boys in our class took a pair of shears and cut off all of its hair. When Tilly began crying, I took the shears from the boy's hand, and cut off a piece of his hair; just to prove a point. The teacher and school dean didn't approve of my punishment; neither did mother" Sabrina says, looking over to her mother, who shook her head and laughed ashamedly at the memory "So I was suspended from school for an entire month…but that boy never bothered Tilly again"._

_" As we got older, I continued to lookout for Tilly; screening and weeding out male suitors whom I found to be undeserving of her affection. I didn't date much either; never finding a proper boy who met my father's strict, military-like standards. At university is when Tilly and I really began dating, and that's where I met my husband; Matthew. Matthew and I continued our educations, respectively, and we finally wed after post-graduate school, when I was twenty five; he twenty six. Tilly met Magnus around the same time while she was working at the library; and she fell in love with him almost immediately. I thought that her affections to that" Sabrina's face mars with disgust as she swallows hard "…monster were so strong, because I was now married and she didn't want to be a burden to me; though I, or Matthew, never gave her any reason to feel as such. I knew…from the moment I laid eyes on Magnus Romney that he would bring nothing but pain and misery into my sister's life. He worked very hard- unnaturally hard, to gain her affections. He would drop by the library every day to borrow books until she agreed to go to lunch with him; and shortly after they began a relationship. When we spoke over the phone, Tilly would tell me how he'd call every two hours to check up on her. She thought he was being romantic; I thought he was being possessive, she thought he was just being caring; I thought he was being overbearing. Finally, one holiday when Tilly brought him here to introduce him to Mum and Dad, I took her aside; noticing a bruise on her left temple that she poorly attemped to disguise with make-up. She told me that it was a mistake and he promised not to strike her again" Ms. Lucas looks away and bows her head in shame, regretting not seeing the warning signs so long ago. "I asked her to come and stay with Matthew and me, but she refused. Later on during dinner, they announced that they were engaged to be married, and that's when I told her…I told her that if she married Magnus I would never speak to her again; I thought that would make her see reason. But like I said…Tilly always looked to others for validation" Sabrina takes a deep breath and closes her eyes- willing herself not to cry, she'd just spent about two hours crying upstairs in the attic while visiting Tilly's "library". "That was three years ago, Gwen. Now...my sister is dead, and I never even got to say goodbye. Please…" she took the attorney's hand in her free hand, and pleaded with her "…do everything in your power to put the man who murdered my sister in prison, where he belongs"._

_It was Gwen's turn to keep the tears at bay…She squeezes the grieving woman's hand just as tightly "I promise you Sabrina" then she turns to the mother "and you Ms. Lucas, that I will do everything that I can, with the help of Albion's Police Department, to bring your sister's killer to justice". Sabrina releases a breath that she wasn't aware she'd been holding, and allows a single tear to escape her eye._

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><p>Arthur and Morgana; having listened intently to Gwen's recount, are renewed once more in their efforts to bring Magnus Romney to justice. To let him roam free after taking the life of a daughter; a sister, and now that they know of Tilly's pregnancy, perhaps a mother, was not an option. Remembering this news, Arthur takes it upon himself to share with Gwen.<p>

"Guinevere, there's something you need to know that we discovered only yesterday about Tilly" he looks over to Morgana, who nods her head. "Merlin decided to do an x-ray on Tilly's body and discovered that…" he pauses.

"Discovered what?" Gwen asks hesitantly.

"…That Tilly was pregnant". He looks at her face to gauge her expression. When Gwen's eyes fill with unshed tears, Arthur is shattered and wishes that he was anywhere right now but her office, looking into those hurt doe- eyes.

"She was pregnant?" Gwen whispers unbelievingly and willing the tears to remain unshed.

"Yes" Morgana says, wanting to hand Gwen a tissue, but also not wanting to insult her by doing so…so she doesn't.

"Do we know if her child is alive?" Gwen asks.

"We don't know as of yet" Arthur says sadly "But we suspect that if anyone knew of Tilly's pregnancy and knows the whereabouts of her baby…it has to be Mrs. Randall".

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><p>Thank you all for hanging in there. I know it's been about 10 days since my last update. But alas, real life takes presidence; unfortunately.<p>

Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and story adds. Again, I appreciate your feedback and readership.


	10. Chapter 10

AN:/ Thank you all for your readership. I truly appreciate it.

A special thank you to: sharmini, fdarcy1, whitecrossgirl, arthurgwen2010, larasmith, and IslandGem. Your reviews continue to inspire me to continue writing this story.

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and has a wonderful and safe work/school week.

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><p>After Arthur and Morgana revealed the news of Tilly's pregnancy to Gwen last night at her office, she became a bit distant, almost forlorn. Once Gwen took a moment more to think about the baby, she recovered and offered the detectives some coffee; not wanting to come off as a rude hostess, to which they politely declined after sensing how the news of her dead client's baby had changed her mood. Morgana and Arthur got the sense that Guinevere wanted to conclude their meeting but was too well-mannered to ask them to leave, so Morgana was the first to suggest that they 'call it a night'; claiming that she had an early shift at work the following day. Consequently, Arthur was not able to return Guinevere's I.D. bracelet, yet again; to which Morgana was kind enough not to remind him of said failure.<p>

However, the following morning, after a good night's rest and in a more jovial spirit than usual; although having just walked into the stationhouse twenty minutes after her shift began with an equally tardy and smiling Leon, one might assume _that_ to be the reason behind Morgana's extra zest, the female Pendragon detective saunters into her brother's office, without so much as a knock, and with a thick, manicured arched brow, her crushed velvet-red lips curved; almost inquisitively and her arms folded across her chest, she asks Arthur the million dollar question,

"_So_, my 'Golden Prince', when exactly do you plan on reuniting Cinderella with her glass slipper?"

Arthur, who doesn't even bother looking up from his desk as Morgana jests with him, mentally kicks himself for thinking that she would let the subject of Guinevere's bracelet go already.

"Morgana, unless you were at a different meeting entirely last night, there simply was no opportunity for me to return Guinevere's bracelet to her; especially after you suggested we end our rendezvous" Arthur looks up from the file that he was reviewing and at his sister accusingly, with his pout ever-present.

Morgana resists the urge to smile at her brother; now fully understanding his affection for the unruly-curled hair attorney. So she redirects her quipping efforts toward him and changes her tone, "Arthur you saw the look on her face when we mentioned Tilly's pregnancy. She was near to tears, her entire demeanor had changed. Prolonging the meeting would not have gotten us any closer to solving the mystery of Tilly's pregnancy; if there is any mystery to solve at all".

She was right. The image of Guinevere's tear-filled eyes was all that Arthur could ponder as he pumped iron in his flat complex's gym last night. The moment he reached his flat he was so tempted to call her to see if she would be alright. But the thought of having Guinevere answer her phone with tears in her voice, and he not being able to be there to console her as he had done on the night of Tilly's murder, then the thought of having her lash out at him for comforting her instead of focusing on Tilly; as she had done on the night of Tilly's murder, gave him pause. So in the end, Arthur resisted the urge to phone Guinevere, and after a hot relaxing shower, sleep came easy.

"The bracelet can wait for now" Arthur says after a few moments. "I need you to get Lance for me".

"Sure thing, partner" Morgana ruffles her brother's hair, much to his annoyance, and sets out to complete her task, but not before Arthur stops her.

"By the way Morgana, why are you twenty minutes late?" he looks at his watch then back at his sister, who avoids his questioning stare and averts her eyes down to her oxfords, as her porcelain cheeks proceed to take on a rosy colour. Arthur eventually takes the hint, grimaces and, for good measure, shakes his head of any image of his sister and dear mate frolicking before work "Never mind. Chief came snooping around…but I already covered for you. Now, if you could get Lance please". Morgana breathes a silent sigh of relief, thanks Arthur, and then ducks out of his office to go find the computer tech.

* * *

><p>A husband abusing his wife, unfortunately, is nothing new. Killing one's wife is not novelty either. Guinevere just couldn't picture Magnus killing his own child. Then again…she definitely could.<p>

Gwen carpooled with Mona; as the later decided to spend the night at the former's home last evening, to work. Mona thought it best that she drive Gwen home last night after seeing how desolate she looked upon emerging from her office with the detectives and concluded that because of Gwen's compassion and ability to put herself in another person's shoes- even after their death, the Romney case was taking a heavy toll on her friend. Mona turned to her right to gauge the attorney.

"You okay Gwen?" Gwen keeps her eyes fixed on the road and nods in response, but then decides to elaborate a bit more.

"I was just thinking about Tilly's pregnancy. Surely Magnus would have noticed his wife being pregnant- if not at two or four months, definitely in her third trimester. And though Tilly may not have been able to stand up against him…I have no doubt in my mind that she would ever allow any harm to come to her child- she would rather die first".

After a moment or so, Gwen realized the implication of the last words of her statement, and so did Mona.

"Maybe…" Mona says gently "…Maybe that's why she died, Gwen…Protecting her child from the father".

Gwen ponders a while longer. "…Maybe. There is also the possibility that Tilly suffered a miscarriage. Tilly never mentioned a child to me, and that is not the kind of thing that slips someone's mind. Perhaps that is why she never brought it up. Not to mention, I have been to the Romney residence prior to, and following Tilly's death and never saw anything to indicate the presence of a baby. The crime scene unit as well, they combed that house from stem-to-stern, and there was absolutely no evidence that a baby or child lived at 21F Main Street".

Gwen finally arrives at the firm and hearing a car's horn honk twice, she looks across the street to see that Elyan and Gwaine have just arrived to work as well, so she honks twice, returning the greeting as Mona opts to wave, popping her hand and head out of the passenger's side window to do so. Gwaine returns the favour; adding on a wink and an air-kiss, to which Mona rolls her eyes and giggles. She then pops back into the car and turns to Gwen and addresses her.

"So let us say that Tilly _did_ die to protect her child. That means that Magnus has no idea where his child is and can't, in turn, go after him; or her. So that is a good thing, right?"

Gwen acknowledges the theory as she turns and grabs her briefcase from the backseat of the car, with Mona following suite. The two then exit the vehicle and look for any oncoming traffic before crossing the street stride-in-stride as their heels click against the asphalt and then the pavement. "Magnus having no knowledge of the whereabouts of his child is a very good thing, Mona. But the fact remains that the existence of the child is a riddle wrapped up in a mystery" Gwen opens the firm's front door and ushers Mona in as she follows behind her "…A mystery that I intend on solving".

* * *

><p>Lance knocks on Arthur's door, although it is wide open, and waits for the detective to acknowledge him; as he is in the midst of a phone call. Arthur waves to Lance to enter the office as he ends the call. "You wanted to see me, lieutenant".<p>

"Yes. Lance, I would like you to dump all phone records from 21F Main Street; paying particular attention to phone numbers that appear the most frequently. If you can, go back as far as two years if possible".

"I can do that" Lance nods. "Is this about that Romney case? Merlin's told me some about it".

"Yeah" Arthur nods and runs a hand through his wheaten locks.

"I heard it was a really rough on" Lance shakes his head, remembering the bits and pieces of conversations that he heard between the coppers at the station.

"One of the most gruesome I have ever witnessed" Arthur confirms.

"I'll get on it right away then" Lance makes one final nod before turning to leave, but then Arthur remembers to say something that has been nagging at him since last night.

"Lance" the computer tech makes it to the door before turning around to be addressed by his colleague; and friend. "I didn't know that you knew Guinevere" Arthur says in what he hopes is a casual tone, even throwing in a brief, light chuckle.

"Guinevere?" Lance furrows his brows "No one but Mr. Leodegrance- and my gran, calls her by her full name. But yeah, Gwen and I have been friends since we were tots; "sandbox mates" is what she used to call us" Lance, and even Arthur, smiles at the memory of the two curly haired toddlers. "I've even saw her naked a few times".

"_What?_" Arthur fumes, not at all trying to hide his abhorrence.

Lance holds up his palms in defense and unintentionally moves a step backward. "Relax mate. We were only about four years old at the time and our mums thought nothing of it to bathe us together" Arthur calms down at this and immediately feels the need to apologize, but Lance, realizing what feelings that the detective may harbor for his childhood friend, decides to toy with him a bit more. "She always brought her teddy bear "Butterscotch" along, as I would bring "Monkeyan"; my little monkey, but our mums would sit them on top of the hamper so they wouldn't get wet in the bath. You should have seen her Arthur. Gwen had the cutest little bum" Lance closes his eyes, shakes his head slightly and smiles at the memory, while trying his best not to burst out laughing at the growing rage in Arthur's eyes or the sound of his back teeth grinding against one another. "While Gwen has certainly grown up since our bath time adventures…she has _definitely_ kept the cute bum, wouldn't you say Arthur?"

Arthur shuts his eyes and draws deep, calming breaths before opening them again. "Lance…" the computer tech in question can't hold it in any longer, and begins laughing at the detective; holding the knob of the door for support.

"Listen Arthur" Lance takes a step forward and closes the door behind him. "I was only teasing you because it's now become quite obvious to me that you feel something for Guinevere, don't you?" he questions his friend.

"Yes" Arthur nods "But I'm still trying to figure it out myself, so don't you go telling her anything about it" he warns.

"Hey" Lance says slightly offended "I may have known Gwen longer, but I value yours and my friendship just as much as mine and hers. Besides, it isn't my place to tell. Although I think you should warn Morgana about that". The two friends share a knowing glance and then a light chuckle.

"Sorry" Arthur says genuinely "I didn't mean to offend you Lance".

The computer analyst shrugs "None taken. Just be sure that whatever it is that you feel for Gwen…make sure that it's real, not just a game or a challenge…"

It's Arthur's turn to feel offended "I would never do that to Guinevere. After what Vivian did to me…I would never do that to anyone- least of all to Guinevere".

"Sorry Arthur, I actually forgot about that. You're much better off anyway. But back to Gwen, she is like a sister to me- as is Elyan a brother. I take it you have not met Elyan yet. Trust me…he is a lot more protective of Gwen than I am, so consider this the preview" Lance smiles shrewdly at the detective. "Anyway, let me get on those phone records and see what I can find you" Lance makes his way to the door for a second time and Arthur calls out and stops him yet again.

"Thanks Lance".

"I'm just doing my job" he says.

"No…" Arthur elaborates "…for _the preview_" he quotes his friend.

"Like I said" Lance reaches the doorknob and pulls the door open "…just doing my job" and with a final nod he departs.

* * *

><p>Merlin spun around in his chair while looking up at the lab's ceiling for the twentieth time now. Before that, he went down to the morgue to take a head count of the bodies to make sure that they were all accounted for, tagged, and in their proper chambers. He also made sure that the morgue was spotless and that it's thermostat was at 35 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the bodies from decaying. Then he went up to the lab to re-re-examine and experiment that he had, consisting of refrigerated skin tissue specimens that he earlier introduced to flesh-eating bacteria to see how rapidly the bacteria could destroy the tissue, after which he carefully dissected the bacteria to extract their saliva and digestive membranes to later see if he can use them to formulate an antidote for victims who are suffering or have suffered skin tissue damage by the flesh-eating microorganisms. After that, he called Lance to see if he would like to go out to lunch, to which the computer analyst declined citing that he was busy at work reviewing phone records for the Romney case. Merlin finally stopped spinning in his chair and decided that if there was nothing for him to do at the lab, perhaps he should go and pay his uncle Gaius a visit at the hospital.<p>

When Merlin arrived at the hospital he was greeted warmly by a few doctors and nurses who had come to view the medical examiner as their own nephew. He made his way to the elevator and finally reaching the operating unit on the seventh floor, he stepped out into the hallway and turned right where he was greeted immediately by PA Elena; Dr. Gaius's operating room assistant.

"…Merlin!" Elena puts down the medical chart that was in her hand onto the nurses' station desk and warmly hugs her friend, as Merlin hugs her back. "What brings you to Albion General?"

"Slow day at the lab- which, don't get me wrong, is a good thing" he quickly adds "But I was bored out of my mind, so I thought I'd pay Uncle Gaius a visit; see if he could use a hand".

"You know Gaius has everyone at his beck and call here. So what's the _real_ reason you popped by? Could it be a certain pediatric nurse on the sixth floor?" Elena asks wittily.

Merlin blushes profusely at the thought of Felicia, then, just as quickly, he scoffs at the implication that he would leave his place of work just to snoop around a hospital in hopes that he would catch a glimpse of the pixie haired petite brunette. "Honestly Elena, you and Lance are so simpatico it's a wonder why the two of you aren't together". Elena then reddens at the mention of the computer tech's name and decides not to tease Merlin any further, but not before he notices and tells her, "I think he likes you".

Elena's milk-green eyes brighten up even more than usual "You do?"

"Yes". Then Merlin thinks of how girls tend to get all giddy and spread news life wildfire, "But don't tell him I told you" and just for some added insurance "I think it would be much better if you let him admit it to you". Elena smiles to herself, a sign that she agrees, and Merlin breathes a sigh of relief then moves forward to continue on his path to his uncle's office.

But Elena stops him. "Dr. Gaius is actually at a meeting right now with the heads of the medical board" Elena picks up her chart from the nurses' station desk and pulls Merlin along with her to further down the hallway so that no one will be within earshot. "I've heard a rumor that Dr. Alice may be in trouble with the medical board".

Dr. Alice is Dr. Gaius's wife and Merlin's aunt. She is the chief obstetrician/gynecologist and is one of the kindest generous doctors at Albion General Hospital. She gets on well with her colleagues and her patients; so much so that some of the babies that she helped deliver years ago come back to her to have her as their primary obstetrician when they are pregnant. So Merlin can't imagine how she can be in trouble with the medical board.

"You must be mistaken Elena. My aunt is one of the best in her field, in all of Albion. So surely there must be another Dr. Alice on staff here. Besides, Uncle Gaius would have mentioned this to me".

"That's what I'm trying to tell you Merlin…No one was supposed to find out".

"No one was supposed to find out what?"

Elena looks down the hall in both directions and moves in closer to Merlin "Dr. Alice helped deliver a baby about two years ago, and then after that she helped her patient to fake the baby's death to the husband. I'm not familiar with the particulars, as it is only just a rumor, but as the rumor goes, her patient was a domestic violence victim and she wanted to keep her baby away from her husband- for fear that he may try to abuse the child too. You know how Dr. Alice is…and as her patients' physician she was sworn to tell no one of her patients' suggestion, under the Hippocratic Oath, so she told the patients' husband that his wife suffered a miscarriage during the delivery while they figured out a way to put the baby up for a silent adoption without him knowing anything of it. They were successful…until now. Someone has found out, and now Dr. Alice may lose her medical license". After Elena finished recounting the tale, she stood back and looked at Merlin. The look on his face told her that the wheels of his mind were in overdrive, trying to figure out what to do with the information that she'd just share with him. This was his family after all, and she began to feel guilty for having burdened him with this, albeit very possibly the truth, rumor.

"Merlin, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told…"

"Elena" Merlin silenced her "Do you have any idea what the patient's name was?"

Elena looked confused for a moment "No. I don't think so".

"Please" Merlin begged "try to think of a name".

Elena thought for several moments longer, and then her eyes widened.

"I'm not sure of her name…but I think it was that poor woman on the news who was murdered by her husband".

Shivers ran down Merlin's spine as realization dawned on him. He stood there stunned and he whispered to himself "The baby's alive…Tilly's baby is alive".


	11. Chapter 11

Arthur was getting ready to join Leon, Percival and a few other cohorts for lunch at 'Gilli's', when Lance ran and caught up to him at the lifts.

"Arthur" he paused to catch his breath "I have the Romney phone conversation records that you requested. I thought you might want to have a look at them before going to lunch".

"Good" Arthur says, taking the list from the computer analyst's hands. "What did you find?"

"Well, almost all outgoing calls were made to a 19F Main Street".

"Mrs. Randall; as I had assumed".

"…Right. But they were very frequent phone calls, made at the same times each day; one at eight o'clock in the morning, the other at six o'clock in the evening. The last call was always an incoming call though, made at ten o'clock in the evening, and the calls never lasted more than two minutes. This call pattern spanned; uninterrupted, over two years".

"Hmm" Arthur hummed pensively "Those are very precise times- almost as if Tilly were on a schedule".

"That's what I thought" Lance adds "Perhaps a work schedule. If she worked from nine to five, that would explain the eight am call before leaving for work and the six pm call after arriving home from work. But I'm still trying to figure out the ten pm call".

"No need. Mrs. Randall stated that she would call Tilly every evening before bed to wish her goodnight, so I'm assuming that call was made at ten in the evening. The real mystery here is as to why Tilly would call her every morning and every evening".

"Maybe Tilly just wanted to check up on her" Lance shrugged.

"No. Mrs. Randall may be elderly, but she is quite capable and certainly does not need looking after. Besides, Tilly could have just gone across the street and popped in for a visit anytime she wanted to see Mrs. Randall; and Mrs. Randall the same". Arthur flipped through to the end of the phone logs and noticed another number that Lance highlighted a few times "What about this number?"

"That number, I discovered, is for an incoming call made from Albion General Hospital, quarter annually over the past two years. I traced the call back to the Pediatrics Department at the hospital" Arthur's head shoots up so quickly from the list he was looking at, that he nearly gave himself whiplash.

"The Pediatric department you say?"

"Yes" then realization dawns on Lance, and a sick feeling grows at the pit of his stomach "Please" he's almost afraid to ask "don't tell me that he killed his child too".

Arthur shakes his head in the negative, and Lance breathes a sigh of relief "At least we don't think so. I mean, the crime scene unit combed that house from top-to-bottom and found no evidence of a child ever living there- _Merlin_, without a doubt, would have noticed anything suggesting the presence of children in the house, children cling to him like magnets; you know that" Arthur quips to put the computer tech at ease. When it works, he continues "Morgana and I were there that night as well, and we saw nothing to the contrary".

"Good" Lance says. "In fact, now that I think of it, a pediatrician would have absolutely no reason calling his or her patient periodically, every three months as he or she did, unless it was to update the patient on the child's progress or to _check _on the child's progress. Since you just said that there was no child in the house, the pediatrician must have been calling to update Tilly on her baby".

"But that would mean…" Arthur's eyes start to grow with understanding "…that would mean that the pediatrician has been seeing Tilly's child regularly and may even know where the child is". Arthur looks back at the list "The last call from the pediatrics department at Albion General to the Romney household was just three weeks ago. Do you know the name of the pediatrician who made these calls?"

Lance shakes his head "Not yet, but I will get right on it".

"No need. Lunch can wait; I'm headed over to the hospital right now" Arthur takes two steps forward and gratefully clap's his friend on the back "Good work Lance. I think you might have cracked this case wide open" then the detective disappears into the lifts.

* * *

><p>"So Gwaine, what's going on between you and Mona?"<p>

The attorney in question looked at the other as if he'd just grown antlers "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about; I saw you wink and blow a kiss at her earlier today".

"Please Elyan, I do that to everyone" the attorney tossed his head to the right, causing his locks to cascade over his right shoulder as he flipped through his rolodex.

"You don't do that to me". Both Gwaine and Elyan look over to the open office door to find a cunning looking Sylvester "Sly" Barnes standing at the entryway with his left forearm leaned against the doorframe for support and his right carrying an expensive evergreen coloured briefcase, in his designer custom-tailored steel grey suit; which offset the steel blue of his mischievous eyes.

Gwaine recovers first "Well the fact that you don't have breasts hasn't eluded me, Sly. Not to mention, I much prefer a dark haired beauty" he quirks an eyebrow in the direction of the defense attorney's head; where sat his blonde hair.

"As do I…By the way, where _is_ that beautiful sister of yours Elyan?"

"Well, you are at Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Offices, and while I'm not _entirely_ sure she'll be there" he says sarcastically "but have you tried her _office_?

"That _would_ be the best place to look, wouldn't it?" Sly says just as sarcastically.

"I'm sure she is there; no doubt putting the finishing touches on her case against that animal of a client; which you seem so keen on, defending" Gwaine says snidely.

The defense lawyer just takes the remark in stride "Everyone deserves a fair chance within the justice system, Gwaine".

"Oh really, try telling that to Tilly- oh that's right, _she's dead_, at the hands of your client; her own husband. In our line of work" Elyan begins in a less harsh tone "we often see people on the worst day of their lives, Sylvester. And you are right; everyone does deserve a fair chance at justice. But a cold blooded killer is a cold blooded killer; no matter what brush you use to paint the picture".

The attorney looks at his fellow attorney; the very one who once offered him a position to work at his and his sister's firm, and for a moment he regrets declining the offer as he looks at Elyan somberly and nods once. "Where is Gwen's office?"

"Straight down the hall, and to your left".

"Thank you Elyan" Sylvester nods and then turns to walk away; but not before Gwaine throws in one last pun.

"And don't you try anything funny either. You're outnumbered three to one; well four if I count Mona".

"I shall be on my best behavior" Sly winks, then proceeds down the hall.

Elyan turns to Gwaine "Now, back to Mona…"

* * *

><p>Elena hears her name called over the public announcement system in the hospital, for her to report to Dr. Oridian's operating room to assist him in surgery, so she excuses herself.<p>

"Merlin, I have to go. I am terribly sorry if I troubled you- I should never have said anything, rumors are just idle gossip anyway, so try not to take my words to heart".

"No, Elena, really it is okay" the medical examiner reassures his friend. "Whatever is going on in that medical board meeting; I'm sure it can't be as bad as we think. I have every bit of faith in both my uncle and my aunt; both as doctors and as genuine compassionate people. They have been working in this hospital for more years than I've been alive, so they must be doing something right, right?"

"Yes, right" Elena nods in agreement.

"The hospital would not sack Dr. Alice- I'm sure of it. So trust me, everything will be just fine" Merlin says to Elena, but more so to himself.

"I sure do hope that you're right Merlin. Dr. Gaius and Dr. Alice are two of the best doctors we have here at Albion General" Elena hears Dr. Oridian, himself this time, shout for her from down the hallway to report to his operating room "Dr. Oridian could be considered one of the best too; if he would only improve on his temper- and according to many of his patients, his bedside manner" she whispers to Merlin. They both share a brief laugh before Elena disappears down the hall in the direction of the stern doctor's voice.

Merlin thinks for a moment on whether he should stay at the hospital and wait for the meeting to conclude so that he can talk to his aunt and uncle, but then thinks better of it and decides it is best that he go back to the lab before his lunch break came to an end, and then he would call Arthur to inform him of the potential lead in Tilly's case. As Merlin walks the short distance to the elevator, someone taps him on the shoulder from behind.

"Hello Merlin". The medical examiner tenses up and then winces at the sound of the invader's voice; the invader of his thoughts, that is. It was Felicia. Merlin takes three deep breaths and turns around; ready to return the greeting, but he was stunned silent.

_Has she gotten more beautiful since I last saw her two weekends ago? _he thinks._ Her smile…God her smile, is so bright, yet so warm; how can that be? And her hair; a pixie cut I believe Elena called it, I'm glad it's short, it allows me to see more of those big, nut brown eyes, her beautiful angular face and those soft, full rosy lips; not as pink as her cheeks are at the moment. Wait…am I making her blush? No way. How can I make her blush? Oh…wait, now she's looking at me expectantly. What is she expecting exactly?_

"…Merlin".

…_A response; right. I can be as obtuse as Arthur sometimes._ "Felicia. Hello. What are you doing here?" Merlin asks, immediately regretting asking the obvious while fighting the urge to smack his palm against his forehead.

Felicia laughs and much to Merlin's surprise, this calms his nerves down a bit and he cracks a smile feeling at ease. "I should be asking _you_ that question- I work here, _you're_ the intruder" she pokes her slender finger lightly onto his right shoulder for emphasis.

Merlin holds up both hands in mock surrender "You've caught me. I suppose now you'll call hospital security".

"I would; except the entire staff here knows you as Dr. Gaius' nephew, so having you cited for trespassing would be futile, wouldn't it?" she reasons lightheartedly.

"So it would seem so" Merlin says putting his hands down "Uncle Gaius is always saving my hide; even when he isn't!" he says, earning another laugh from his crush.

"I don't think he minds it much; how could he when you're so endearing". Now it is Merlin's turn to blush, which doesn't go unnoticed by the nurse so she changes course; as not to embarrass the ME "How is everything going at the lab; any new experiments that you're working on?"

_She's actually interested in my work _Merlin thinks, and neither he nor Felicia hears the lift doors opening behind him "I'm working on a flesh-eating bacteria study at the moment".

"Do be careful Merlin" Felicia reaches up and touches Merlin's face tenderly before quickly removing it to hide behind her back "…we wouldn't want you being the result of your experiment; would we?"

"Yes" Merlin answers confusedly, still lost in the feeling of the brief touch, then shakes his head vehemently "I mean, no…no, we wouldn't want me attacked by flesh-eating bacteria; it would be very difficult- nearly impossible- to be a medical examiner without limbs, wouldn't it?" he laughs nervously.

"Where would Albion _be_ without you as medical examiner?" she asks playfully "I shudder to think it. But honestly Merlin, be careful while you're having you're fun; because as much as you may tell yourself that it is just work, I know you enjoy it" she concludes with a smile and a wink.

The person at the lifts; not being able to withstand anymore of the nervous, 'tag- you're it!' style of flirting, clears his throat and both the medical examiner and the nurse turn to see they've had an audience.

"Arthur!" Merlin exclaims "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough" he says fighting to hold back a smile. Merlin has his back to Felicia and narrows his eyes at the detective; warning him to keep his mouth shut, knowing good and well that Arthur has some quips at the ready.

"Felicia" Merlin steps aside so that the detective comes into view "this is Detective Inspector Arthur Pendragon; pay him no mind, it seems to work most of the time".

Arthur rolls his eyes at the medical examiner and extends his right hand to the nurse "A pleasure to _finally_ meet you Felicia" he shakes her hand with a smile.

'_Finally'_ she thinks _Merlin's been speaking of me to his friends? _"Likewise Detective Inspector".

"Please, call me Arthur".

"…Arthur" then she turns to Merlin "Merlin, I should be going now; my lunch break will be over in a little while, and those infants aren't going to change and feed themselves, are they?"

Arthur's ears perk up at the mention of 'infants', then he stands aside to let the nurse get onto the lifts.

"It was nice talking to you Felicia; as always".

"And as always Merlin" she says, forgoing the lifts; as it is just one floor difference to the pediatric unit and infant ward, and opting for the stairs instead "the pleasure is mine" Felicia smiles at him one final time before disappearing into the stairwell.

"Merlin, Merlin, Merlin…" Arthur smiles and shakes his head as he advances to the lanky medical examiner "And all these years I thought you were…"

"What?" the tall and thin medical inspector stands a little straighter and pushes his chest out, almost looking like an alpha male.

Arthur takes a slight step back, surprised at this friend's stance "…uninterested".

"Need I remind you of my crush- albeit brief- on Morgana when we were teenagers?"

"Oh please, Morgana is…well Morgana is Morgana; she hardly counts as a girl" Arthur snorts.

"That's because she's your sister, so I guess it makes some sense that you'll never see her as an attractive member of the female humanoid species; although other mammal members of the animal kingdom are completely…"

"…Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up. Now, how long have you been smitten with this _Felicia_?" Arthur drags out her name while mockingly batting his lashes.

"You shut up!" Merlin and Arthur look up when a nurse at the nurses' station scolds them, so they lower their voices and move further down the hallway "And I am not smitten with anyone" Merlin whispers harshly.

"Oh please, your face turned practically to the shade of a tomato when she reached up and touched your cheek" Arthur reaches up to touch Merlin's cheek to punctuate his point, but Merlin quickly swats it away "as you were discussing flesh eating bacteria- _flesh eating bacteria_ Merlin! No woman would actually be interested in listening about something so grotesque unless she was trying to impress the orator behind the speech; you" he says, ruffling his friend's jet black hair.

"I take it you haven't asked her out yet".

"No" Merlin says dejectedly.

"Well she _obviously_ likes you too, so what's keeping you?"

"That depends" Merlin decides to turn the tables "what's keeping _you_ from asking Gwen out?"

Arthur looks aghast "But…but…"

"Even if Morgana didn't already tell me…"

"…of course…Morgana".

"…I could still see it for myself that you like her. In these past few weeks your demeanor has changed, and I realized that it was around the time that you came to the morgue to view Tilly's body; now unless you have some sick, twisted morbid fascination with corpses, there's no way that _that_ was the reason you were in better spirits. You've been working with Morgana for years so that can't have been it, and then I noticed that the only thing that has changed recently in your life is the presence of Gwen, so she _must_ be the reason behind your chipper mood".

Arthur takes a step back, crosses his arms over his chest and narrows his eyes at Merlin "You know it is times like this when I _really_ hate how observant you are".

Merlin just shrugs it off and persists "So when are you going to ask Gwen out?"

"Unlike Felicia's obvious affection toward you, Guinevere doesn't like me, so why would I put myself out there, just to get rejected?" Arthur says, uncharacteristically sad.

Merlin puts an arm around his friend's shoulder and starts to lead them back down the hall toward the lifts "How do you know she doesn't like you?"

"Well for starters, she certainly does not look at me the way Felicia looks at you".

"Maybe she's just shy".

"Hmm" Arthur sighs non-committedly.

"Or perhaps she is just so focused on this case that she hasn't had the time to blush or laugh at your lame and pathetic jokes" Merlin says kindly, but Arthur can detect a hint of laughter in his voice and when he looks over to his friend; in his eyes too, so he jabs him lightly in the rib.

"Thanks Merlin. In times like this, I really do appreciate how observant you are".

They finally reach the lifts and Merlin removes his arm from around Arthur's shoulder "Well, you always cheer me up when I'm down; even though you get your fair share of quips in before you do" Arthur laughs in agreement at this "Besides, if you and Gwen start dating, you'll no longer have the time to make my life miserable".

"That's where you're wrong, dear friend. I'll always find time to make your life miserable" Arthur puts Merlin in a headlock and ruffles his hair once more, then releases him when the same nurse who scolded them only a few minutes ago at the nurses' station puts down her book and lowers her spectacles; ready to reprimand the (boy) man, then readjusts her frames and continues her reading.

Merlin straightens up from the headlock and lightly shoves Arthur, and then corrects his hair before pressing the "down" button on the lifts. It seems that both Arthur and Merlin remember their news at the same time.

"Wait…there's something I wanted to tell you".

"Wait…there's something I came here to do" they say in unison.

"You found out about the calls from the pediatric department to Tilly's home too?" Arthur asks first.

"I found out much more than that" Merlin says knowingly "Well, it's still a bit unclear…but I- or you- won't find out anymore right now as the heads of several departments in the hospital; including my uncle and aunt, are in a meeting with the medical board right now".

"Why are Gaius and Alice in a meeting with the medical board?"

"I can't be sure" Merlin whispers, pulling Arthur aside "But from what Elena told me…I think it may have something to do with Tilly".

"Wait" Arthur whispers in turn "so your aunt was Tilly's pediatrician?"

"No, Aunt Alice is an obstetrician; she only delivers the babies, but Dr. Geoffrey is the Chief of Pediatrics here. What does a pediatrician have to do with anything?"

"I had Lance pull up the Romney phone records and it turns out that the pediatrics department has been calling the Romney household over the past two years; and as recently as a few weeks ago" Arthur murmurs. The lift reaches their floor and both Merlin and Arthur bid the nurse farewell and board the lift.

"Okay, so Dr. Geoffrey must be in the meeting as well".

"What meeting" Arthur asks.

"Elena told me that there is a rumor going around that my aunt may have delivered Tilly's baby and kept it a secret from Magnus by faking the baby's death then putting the child up for open adoption. Now my aunt- and based on what you've just told me- and Dr. Geoffrey may be in hot water for assisting Tilly in this scheme; no matter how well-intentioned they were".

Arthur absorbs what Merlin just told him and breathes a sigh of relief.

"You're relived?" Merlin asks incredulously "My aunt could be in serious trouble, and you're relieved".

"I'm thankful that Tilly's child is alive, Merlin" Arthur glares at the medical examiner, then his eyes soften "I'm sorry that your aunt is involved in all this. I hope the medical board is lenient and sees that she _and_ Dr. Geoffrey acted in the best interest of both Tilly and the baby, and rule in their favor" he puts an arm around his friend's shoulder as the lift reaches the lobby and the doors open.

"Me too" Merlin says as the two exit the lift and start walking toward the automated slide doors at the hospital's main entrance "…me too".

* * *

><p>Guinevere is raking through her briefcase; after doing the same to her handbag, when a knock at her office door interrupts her. She heaves a frustrated sigh and tosses her briefcase on the empty chair opposite her desk and runs a hand through her lengthy curls "Come in".<p>

Sly enters her office and his eyes immediately lighten up at the sight of a relaxed Guinevere. In court, she always has her hair pulled back; either in a tight bun, a French roll, or a single neat plait. She always wore modest three inch heeled pumps, a crisp white or pastel coloured button down blouse with her skirt suit; or the occasional pant suit. But right now, her heels were kicked off and to the side of her desk, her curls tumbled freely over her dainty; yet strong, shoulders, and reached past her beautiful collar bones and ended at her bust, where two undone buttons at the top of her blouse revealed a bit of her ample cleavage. "Guinevere" he says after his thorough inspection "you look beautiful" he walks slowly, taking long purposeful strides to her desk; never breaking eye contact, and gently picks up her briefcase and places it on her desk; freeing the seat for him to sit in and better admire her from up close.

Guinevere gently rubs circles at the bridge of her nose and takes a deep breath before responding.

"What do you want Sly?"

"Well that is no way for a woman to address her man" he says grinning devilishly.

Not even batting a lash in his direction Guinevere responds "Not in this lifetime; or the next" to which the defense attorney laughs richly, revealing perfect platinum-white teeth.

"Never say 'never', Gwen".

"Again…what are you doing here Sylvester?" she asks irritably.

Sylvester straightens up and is serious now "I came to negotiate".

"Negotiate what exactly?"

"A plea bargain for my client".

Guinevere scoffs at the attorney sat before her "Are you insane!"

He holds both hands up "Hear me out Gwen. My client is truly remorseful for what he's done…"

"For _murdering_ his wife!" she corrects him

"…for murdering his wife" he concedes "He won't eat, he is hearing voices; and responding to them. He is in solitary confinement at the county prison and currently on suicide watch after attempting to kill himself twice already".

"I fail to see the downside in that- apart from eluding justice and the death penalty which he so richly deserves" Gwen angrily replies.

Sylvester actually flinches and shrinks back slightly "Look at what this case is doing to you Gwen. You and I do not always get along, and while I don't know intimately, I know enough to know that this is not you Gwen".

She allows his words to absorb into her mind, but then the image of Tilly's body, the thought of Tilly's baby; who Sylvester surely knows nothing of, else wise he himself may drop Magnus as a client, and those thoughts override Sylvester's words.

"You're right about one thing Sylvester; you don't know me, because if you did you would know that I would sooner administer the lethal injection myself than reach a plea bargain with that cold blooded murder; Magnus Romney. Now" Guinevere stands from her seat and walks around her desk and to her office door "if that is all you wished to discuss with me, consider the matter settled. I have a trial to prepare for, so if you don't mind…" she opens the door and politely stands aside to give him room to exit.

Sylvester takes the hint and rises from his seat to meet Gwen at the door "I hope this trial is a short one; more so for your sake than my client's" then he extends his hand to which Guinevere accepts as they exchange a handshake "Good day Gwen". And with that, Sylvester Barnes departs the law firm, leaving a reflective Guinevere in his wake.

* * *

><p>Thank you to all who read, review and add; I truly appreciate it. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thank you again for your readership. Good day to you all.<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

Now that the lunch hour was nearing to an end, Arthur and Merlin decided on something they can eat while they walked to the parking lot; kebabs from the street vendor adjacent to the hospital's main entrance. At first, Merlin was adamant against the idea of eating "lamb" from a street cart, stating that he _'might as well eat an American hot dog'_ if he wanted _'mystery meat'_. Arthur just laughed at his overly- food conscious friend, but the vendor overheard the medical examiner and took it upon himself to persuade the skinny man to try his food. So the cook took Merlin lightly by the elbow and ushered him around the back of the cart, to the entrance, where he then reached to the left side and pulled out and opened his ice-filled cooler and showed Merlin his 'grass-fed' and 'free range' labeled, meat and poultry selections; debunking the 'mystery' behind the meat. Merlin was impressed, but more so embarrassed for having unintentionally insulted the cook and then humbly apologized, but the vendor just told him that he used to the common misconception made by his customers, especially by the nurses and doctors across the street, and then said that Merlin can show his remorse by trying some of his fare; which both he and Arthur did when they ordered the lamb.

After ordering, receiving and paying for their food, the pair starts walking toward the hospital parking lot. "So, what do you think?" Arthur asks Merlin before taking another bite of his kebab.

"This has got to be some of the best lamb I have ever tasted".

"Hmm" Arthur agrees through a mouthful.

"It's seasoned to perfection; it's not too salty- or too spicy, and this is the first time I've ever had the option of gluten-free bread, from a street cart no less. That man should have his own restaurant".

"With food like this" Arthur holds up the nearly empty foil wrapper "he would rival any of Albion's over-priced gourmet restaurants".

"I'll say!" Merlin agrees "But I suppose this way; with him being the sole chef and manager of his cooking quarters, he has better control over the quality of his food".

"I agree" Arthur says between bites.

They finally reach the parking lot and take the stairs to the second level, where Merlin parked "Well, this is me".

"Me too; and I think I may have parked near your car, unless there is another medical examiner that I don't know of with "MESMARTME" on his license plate".

Merlin shrugs indifference, opens the door for both he and Arthur and continues "Well, "Merlin Emyrs; Smart Medical Examiner" was too long to fit, so MESMARTME was the perfect solution".

"Why is it that all doctors think so highly of themselves? Yes; you are smart, but there's no need to brag about it" Arthur scoffs.

"Oh please! Mine isn't nearly as vain as "GOLDRAGON"" Merlin rolls his eyes as they continue walking toward their cars.

"My father called- well _still_ calls me 'Golden Boy' and my surname is Pendragon, so there's nothing vain about that" Arthur justifies.

"And what about the gold dragon ornament on your rear-view mirror? Or the dragon motif embroidered in gold thread on the seat covers in your car?"

"They were a gift…"

"A request" Merlin tries to disguise behind a cough.

Arthur glares at him and continues "…they were a _gift_ from Morgana when I first purchased my car a while back; she actually had them custom designed for me, so I couldn't just say 'no' to her, could I?"

Merlin nods, "Well _that_, and the fact that you're a borderline narcissist" and takes another bite of his kebab.

"If I'm a narcissist…" Arthur says as he reaches his car first "…and you're my friend, then what does that make you?"

Merlin pauses for dramatic effect, and seriously thinks the question through before he finally shrugs "In need of new friends I suppose".

"Shut up Merlin; and if you don't finish that kebab already, I'm going to help you" Arthur warns. Merlin knows all too well that Arthur will follow through on his threat- as he has done so many times before when they were growing up and while at school together- so he takes the last two pieces of lamb from the skewer, places them between the last chunk of bread and shoves the two-bite sandwich into his mouth for one bite; looking every bit of a chipmunk, and smiles triumphantly.

Arthur shakes his head and laughs at the _smart_ medical examiner then waits for him to finish the mammoth mouthful.

"Okay" Merlin speaks after some laborious chewing "You have got to stop doing that- otherwise I'll get serious indigestion" he says rubbing his abdomen.

"You're right, I apologize. Next time I'll just buy you a child- sized portion" Arthur says trying not to laugh.

Merlin glowers at the detective before fishing into his front left pant pocket for his car keys "I may not eat as much as you do- but that doesn't make me any less of a man, _thank you_".

"It doesn't make you any less of a child either" Arthur counters.

"_I'm_ the child- you're the one who's looking to pick a fight with me".

"That's because you make it so easy" Arthur persists smiling smugly.

"Do you know what else is easy? This!" Merlin takes a high energy magnet from out of his jacket's front right pocket and points it toward Arthur's car keys; which pull easily to the magnet, as Arthur's hold on the keys was loose. "Good luck getting home!" Merlin says, before sprinting several cars down to his car.

"…MERLIN!"

He doesn't look back, and continues running.

"MERLIN…!" Arthur chases after the lanky medical examiner, but does not get to him in time as Merlin uses his car remote to automatically unlock his car door as he is running, and once he gets to the car, he swings the door open and hops into the driver's seat; quickly locking the door after him.

"Merlin…" Arthur says through gritted teeth, breathing heavily when he finally reaches his friends' car "…if you don't open this door, I will make your life hell" he warns, still trying to catch his breath.

Merlin rolls down the driver's seat window just enough for his voice to carry out to Arthur "Breathing a bit heavily there mate! I would cut back on 'Gilli's' house special if I were you" he taunts, still a bit breathless himself.

Arthur bangs on the driver's seat window, frustrated "Merlin; you little earthworm! Give me my keys. If I am late getting back to the station and my pay gets docked because of this, not only will I make your life hell; I will make your hell an abyss".

Merlin draws his brows together and narrows his eyes "Are they not the same thing; hell and abyss?"

"Who cares Merlin- just give me the bloody keys!"

"Alright, alright" Merlin chuckles and reaches for the automated window button, then pauses and turns back to Arthur "Do you promise not to tease me about my weight anymore?"

"How can I tease you when you'll be _dead_?" Arthur responds through clenched teeth.

"Sorry; wrong answer" Merlin says grinning and dangling the keys from within the safety of his car in front of Arthur's face. Arthur is growing impatient with Merlin, and for a minute it crosses his mind that they are two professional thirty year old males behaving like children, so he decides to use this realization to make his friend see reason.

"Merlin…" Arthur leans against the brick wall behind him and drags a hand down his face "…Merlin, we are two thirty year old men behaving like thirteen year old children; not to mention that we both have to report back to work in…" Arthur holds up his left arm and looks at his wristwatch "…fifteen minutes, or we'll both be penalized. Now, I promise that I will _try_ not to tease you about your slim frame…as much".

Merlin looks at his friend, standing there against the parking lot wall looking pathetic, then looks at the car keys in his hand and decides to put an end to his misery, so he brings down the driver's side window half way and extends his right arm to hand Arthur his keys.

"I suppose that's more than I can ask for considering that I know how much you always wanted a younger brother to tease; because I am _twenty nine_- not thirty, and therefore younger than you".

Arthur moves from the wall and takes the keys from Merlin's hand "Younger _and_ smaller than me" he adds before quickly reaching into the car to ruffle Merlin's hair, to which the later scowls at him for.

"Well that promise didn't last very long".

"I said I would _try_. Now I should go" Arthur says looking at his watch once more "You'll call me if you hear anything regarding Aunt Alice and Dr. Geoffrey, right?"

"Of course" Merlin nods a bit sadly.

"Don't worry, Merlin" Arthur reaches out to grasp Merlin's shoulder "Uncle Gaius won't allow them to be sacked- not without a fight first".

"I know. It's just that, they're family; you know?"

"…I know. Just try not to worry yourself thin over it" Arthur says, grinning generously.

"Ha ha ha; very funny" Merlin says while starting his car before quietly adding "…golden jerk".

"Hey, I heard that!" Arthur says while stepping aside so that Merlin can back out of the parking space.

"What? I didn't hear anything" Merlin shrugs "Anyway, I'll call you later" he says before waving and driving away. Arthur shakes his head and laughs briefly before walking back to his car and following Merlin's lead.

* * *

><p>A knock came at the door almost as soon as she closed it "Come in" Gwen answers as she sits behind her desk.<p>

"You alright, love?"

"I'm fine Elyan" Gwen says unconvincingly.

"Good- then you won't mind the company. Come on in, the coast is clear" Elyan says over his shoulder before he Gwaine and Mona enter Guinevere's office.

"Sly didn't try anything fresh did he? - because I know what car he drives…"

"Gwaine, I am more than capable of handling myself _and_ Sly. But thanks for the offer" Gwen smiles reassuringly at her friend.

"Well if you change your mind, the offer still stands" Gwaine says before sitting in the office chair opposite Gwen's, then quickly stands up and offers it to Mona, who gladly accepts. Elyan and Gwen exchange a knowing look, before Gwen cocks up an eyebrow to which Elyan responds with a shrug.

"So" Elyan says after grabbing two foldable chairs from Gwen's closet; one for him and one for Gwaine so they too can sit "what did Sylvester want to talk about?"

"He wanted to make a _plea_ bargain for his client- can you believe that?"

"What did you say?" Mona asks.

"I told him 'no', of course. Actually I didn't even hear the prison sentence that he wanted to propose, I just flat out refused. I mean, Mona, if you saw what he did to his wife…you would want to take him to trial too".

"I trust your judgment Gwen, but maybe you should have heard his bargain first. As much as I love being an attorney, lengthy trials can be such a pain" Gwaine reasons.

"I agree, Gwaine. But there is no way that I would consider anything less than a life term in prison with no possibility of parole to be a bargain, so I would have declined his offer regardless".

Gwaine conceded. He knew that Guinevere always fought hard for her clients; whether dead or alive.

"Have you found out anything on the location of the baby?" Mona asks.

"No. I thought about calling Ms. Lucas, Tilly's mother, but the way that Magnus kept Tilly isolated from her family, I doubt that she knows that Tilly was pregnant, or that she may have a grandchild. I would hate to be the one to reveal that kind of news- especially since the child has yet to be found".

"God I do hope that the detectives find the poor child" Mona says unconsciously wringing her hands. Gwaine reaches over and clasps both her hands between his to reassure her.

"The Albion Police Department has some fine detectives, and the Pendragons are two of the finest. So I have no doubt that they will leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding the baby; especially with Gwen leading the troop" Gwaine says winking at both the women.

Gwen smiles at Gwaine and quickly glances at his and Mona's hands together, then glances over to Elyan, whose eyes are still fixed on the attorney's and secretary's clasped hands as well. Gwaine and Mona must have sensed the siblings looking at them because they quickly separated their hands.

"I should get back to the lobby" Mona says "Wouldn't want people thinking that we've abandoned ship" she laughs nervously.

Elyan - being the observant attorney that he is- quickly sees and opportunity to get a rise out of Gwaine, and pounces on it.

"Mona…" he says brushing a stray strand of hair behind her shoulder, and taking her right hand in his "…I was thinking that we should have dinner tonight".

Mona perks up "The four of us? We could go to my parents' restaurant; you know how much they love you and Gwen".

"No. Just the two of us" Elyan says moving his finger from her to him.

"Just me and you…?" Mona reiterates confusedly.

Gwen is sitting with her left elbow propped up on her desk with her left hand cupped over her mouth, and silently laughing. Gwaine meanwhile has swung around in his chair so quickly that the wind from his abrupt movement caused a few papers to go flying off of Gwen's desk.

"…Why not? I see no harm in two friends dinning out together, perhaps enjoying a nightcap or two afterward" Elyan says casually.

"But…"

"Unless there is someone else you would rather have dinner with" Elyan probes.

"There is" Gwaine says finally having enough and walks over to Mona and Elyan; glowering at the later.

"Who…?" Gwen says hoping her voice didn't reveal her mirth.

"Me" Gwaine says putting his arm around Mona's waist and breaking the lock between her and Elyan's hands.

Elyan laughs richly and claps Gwaine on the shoulder "Well it's about time".

"You mean…you two knew?" Mona says looking back and forth at Elyan and Gwen.

"I don't know about Gwen, but I've suspected it for a while now; only getting information out of this one here…" Elyan says playfully smacking the back of Gwaine's head "…is like prying an infant from its mother's teat".

At Elyan's words, Gwen wonders for a moment if Tilly had even ever got the chance to breastfeed her child, then quickly dismisses it.

Elyan sees the momentary marred look on his sister's face and apologizes. "Sorry Gwen, I wasn't thinking".

"No…no, don't be. We'll find him- or her. Now back to you two…" Gwen says rising from her seat to join the three by her door "…why didn't you tell us?"

Mona and Gwaine look at one another and Mona decides to speak up "Well, although I am just a secretary here at the firm, Gwaine is still my colleague and I know that office romances are never a good idea, so we figured that you two would not approve".

"Ha! Are you kidding? Do you have any _idea_ how many…" Gwen elbows Elyan in the ribcage before he can finish his thought and glares at him.

"I think what Elyan was _trying_ to say is that we are glad to see Gwaine with an intellectual woman and not just a party-girl for a change" she cocks an eyebrow at the attorney in question. "As long as your relationship doesn't influence your work in a negative way, then I am perfectly fine with it and I am happy for you both".

"Oh thank you Gwen!" Mona says excitedly as the two share a warm hug.

"No, thank _you_" Elyan says "Now those legions of women…"

"And some men" Gwen adds.

"…and some men, can stop calling here to see if Gwaine can represent them in the most ridiculous cases that usually involve them wanting to include sexual favors, in some capacity, in his retainer fee".

Mona looks aghast and turns to Gwaine "You've never actually _accepted_ those cases have you?"

"Of course not! While I admit I do like to have fun and party, I never mix business with pleasure. Well, accept now" he bends down and kisses her lightly on the forehead.

"Aww, Gwaine. I've never seen this side of you before" Gwen gushes.

"…Disgusting, isn't it!" Elyan hisses mockingly.

"Shut up Elyan!"

"Shut up Elyan!" both Gwen and Mona say simultaneously.

"I was only kidding" he chuckles holding his hands up in defense.

* * *

><p>It was half past four in the afternoon and Merlin still had not heard from his uncle. By the time he washed up and sanitized the morgue where he'd performed his last autopsy for the day, it was five o'clock and time to clock out. Merlin went upstairs to his locker and then to the lab to retrieve his mobile phone and notebooks. After he greeted the nightshift crew on his way out, he began walking down the street toward his car when his mobile rang.<p>

"Hello".

"Merlin…"

"Uncle Gaius! I've been waiting all day to hear from you, I even popped into the hospital today to visit you and Aunt Alice but Elena told me that you were in a board meeting so I decided it was best that I come back to work and wait for you to call me when you had a free moment; but you never did, until now so I guess you're free now, right?" Merlin says in two breaths.

"Merlin…" Merlin can practically hear his uncle shake his head and pinch the bridge of his nose from the receiver; the way he said his name "…Merlin, I don't know what Elena told you…"

"Oh no- I didn't mean for her to get in trouble! She specified that it was a rumor that she was only recounting to me".

"Do not worry about Elena; she is a bright physician's assistant who just happened to fall into the snares of the rumor mill- it happens to the best of us. As I was saying, I don't know what she told you earlier, but I need you to come to the hospital when you get a chance".

"My shift just finished and I was on my way home, but I can come see you right now. I'll be there in about half an hour".

"Good. See you then; and do be careful when you're driving. I know that when your mind is preoccupied, it is usually your driving that tends to suffer, so please, be careful my boy".

Merlin smiles fondly at his uncle's concern for him "I will Uncle Gaius. See you in a little while".

Merlin gets to the hospital in record time. He immediately jogs over to the lifts; not bothering to sign in or exchange pleasantries with the familial staff, then selects his preferred floor and waits for the lift doors to close. Once Merlin exits the lift he is greeted- well surveyed- by Dr. Oridian.

"Martin; Gaius' nephew, yes?"

"It's _Merlin_, Dr. Oridian and yes, I am Dr. Gaius' nephew. If you would excuse me…"

"Just a minute…" Dr. Oridian blocks his path "…you were here earlier, weren't you?"

Merlin looks at the doctor cautiously before responding "Yes, I was".

"And you were engaged in conversation with Elena, were you not?"

"Elena is my friend; it is only natural that we exchange a few words when we cross paths" Merlin answers guardedly.

"Of course" the doctor responds shrewdly "In the future, however, I would prefer if you '_exchange words_' on your time, not mine, is that clear Martin; unless you want your bright and promising friend to be sacked?"

"My name is Merlin- _Dr. Merlin_- Dr. Oridian" Merlin replies confidently "I understand your disapproval for fraternizing during work hours; as it is indeed unprofessional, but I was under the impression that PA Elena was on her lunch break, as it was the usual time that she takes her lunch respite. But rest assured I will be more considerate of your time _and_ Elena's in the future. Now if you would excuse me, the Chief of Surgeons is awaiting my arrival; and I do hate keeping my uncle waiting" Merlin nods tersely and then maneuvers around Dr. Oridian to continue to his uncle's office.

"He won't be chief for long" Oridian says to himself calculatingly once Merlin is out of earshot.

* * *

><p>"Merlin!" his uncle greets him warmly upon his arrival.<p>

"Uncle Gaius" Merlin hugs him back just as warmly, and then turns around at the calling of his name from behind.

"Aunt Alice!" he hugs her and she returns it just as affectionately.

"Oh Merlin" she pulls back and holds his face in both her hands and kisses his forehead, then she pulls him back and gives him a once-over "I can see that I will have to double my shepherd's pie recipe when I make it next. Do you eat enough, sweetheart?"

Merlin blushes slightly and inwardly thanks God that Arthur was not there to say 'I told you so!'.

"I eat plenty, Aunt Alice; I just have a fast metabolism, is all".

"A very fast metabolism indeed" she says poking him in his flat stomach, and earning a laugh out of him.

"Alice, let's not forget why we called him here" Gaius says with a tilt of the brow.

"Yes…yes; of course. Merlin" she takes him by the hand and leads him to a spare seat "there is something that I need to tell you".

"Oh God…" Merlin looks at her expectantly "…please don't tell me that you've been terminated".

"No, dear- not terminated. But I have been suspended, pending re-instatement" she says patting the back of his hand reassuringly.

Merlin lets out a sigh of relief "I'm sorry that you have to be punished Aunt Alice".

"I'm not" she says confidently "I remember when Tilly was my patient…" she shakes her head sadly "…even during her pregnancy he abused her, Merlin; never the baby, there were no wounds and bruises on her abdomen or her- and forgive me for saying this in front of you- vaginal area, but her arms, her legs and even once her eye were often the target of her drunk husband's hands".

Merlin gripped his aunt's hands a little tighter and urged her to continue.

"On her last visit to the hospital, the day that she went into labor, her husband was out drinking, so Mrs. Randall- sweet woman she is- she accompanied Tilly to the hospital that night and it was with her that Tilly formulated a plan. Tilly decided that she could not allow her baby to grow up in a house where she was a victim and a prisoner; she feared so for her baby's life Merlin, so she pleaded with me to help her fake a miscarriage and legally sign the baby's custody over to Mrs. Randall".

Merlin almost could not believe his ears "So, you're saying that Mrs. Randall was raising Tilly's child?"

"Is- she still is raising Tilly's child. There was no way that I could deny Tilly that request- even if I was taking the babe away from its father. But you've seen Magnus Romney, Merlin. If you were in my shoes I'm sure you would do the same thing".

"Of course he would Alice" Gaius says seated beside his wife and rubbing her back.

Alice continues "So that night, Tilly walked into the hospital pregnant, but Mrs. Randall left with a newborn. After the babe was born, of course he needed a pediatrician, so I enlisted the help of Dr. Geoffrey; you know Dr. Geoffrey, dear, he studied at the same medical school with your uncle and I all those years ago and he's been a constant friend to us over the years, so I knew that I could trust him, so Dr. Geoffrey has been the babe's pediatrician for the last two years; exclusively making house calls to Mrs. Randall's residence".

Merlin was reeling as more revelations about Tilly's life unraveled "So you mean to tell me that Magnus had absolutely no idea that his child- that he believed to be dead- was living right across the street from him?"

"For all I know, he still doesn't know, and for the safety of the child it is best this way. He is a murderer, he abused the mother of his child while she was carrying it, and he finally killed her. He doesn't deserve his child's love".

Merlin couldn't refute that his aunt was right; both for what she did and for what she just said.

"What about Dr. Geoffrey, will he be penalized too?"

"I'm afraid so" Alice shakes her head sadly "But like me, he doesn't regret a thing that he's done. In our eyes, Merlin, we saved a life, and what purpose would our medical degrees serve if we didn't do that? So while we could not save Tilly, we saved her child".

"Both you and Dr. Geoffrey should be rewarded for such courage, Aunt Alice. If it were my call, that's exactly what I'd do".

"Oh, sweet boy" Alice says cupping her nephew's cheek.

Merlin remembers that he promised Arthur a phone call so he excuses himself from his uncle's office to do so.

Arthur returns from the loo just in time to answer his mobile before it goes to voicemail.

"Merlin, you haven't got any more magic tricks you want to try on me, do you?" Arthur chuckles "I've been meaning to ask you, where _did_ you get that magnet anyway?"

"…Never-mind that right now Arthur. I just spoke to my uncle and aunt".

Arthur's ears perk up "And, what did they say?"

"Long story short, you need to pay Mrs. Randall a visit…_now_".

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><p>Thank you to everyone who reviews, adds to story alerts and favorite alerts. As always, I really do appreciate your readership.<p>

To all of you celebrating it, I hope you have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day, and let us honour the memories of the brave and fallen respectfully.

Have a great week everyone :)


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: I know it's been about three weeks since my last update; whoa, sounds like I'm at confession :/ Anyway, you all know that life (work, school, etc.) shows no lenience or favoritism when it comes to fan fics, so that is why it's taken so long to update my story; life simply took precedence. In **_**no way**_** have I abandoned this story and I apologize if that's the conclusion I caused you to draw. But I'm back now, and I will try my best to be more consistent =).**

**Thank you to the following people for consistently showing me support and encouraging me to keep writing: arthurgwen2010, dannic38, fdarcy1, IslandGem, larasmith, Laughy-Taffy the Grape, sharmini and whitecrossgirl.**

**Thank you, also, to all of you who subscribe, alert and add; I truly appreciate all of you and your readership.**

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><p>Merlin failed to mention to Arthur why he had to go to Mrs. Randall's home before he ended the call. But the tone of urgency in his voice, combined with the phone logs between the Romney and Randall households that Lance had printed earlier that morning, gave Arthur more than enough explanation. He continued driving, trying to keep his nerves in check.<p>

"Did Merlin say _why_ you had to go to Mrs. Randall's all of a sudden?"

"Actually, it wasn't so sudden, he had promised to phone me earlier today. I had suspected early on that Mrs. Randall knew more than she was letting on- the phone logs and Merlin's phone call have confirmed my suspicions".

"Arthur, if I'm not mistaken, isn't Mrs. Randall's residence in the opposite direction?" Morgana asks pointing left as Arthur turns right.

"It is, but I have to make one quick stop first" he says as he continues driving.

When Morgana recognizes the street that her brother is driving along, realization dawns on her "Oh" she says turning to Arthur with a tilt of her brow and a shrewd smile "so you're killing two birds with one stone then?" she asks teasingly.

Arthur quickly glances annoyingly over to the passenger seat's occupant and then comes to a full stop once he arrives at his destination.

"So now you've gone all nervous on me, yeah? That seems to happen every time that you're around '_you know who_'" Morgana says with a dance of her brows.

"Just wait here Morgana, I'll only be a moment" Arthur says opening the driver's side door and stepping onto the curb. When he closes the door he bends at the waist and speaks to his sister through the open driver's window "Please, if you care about me at all Morgana" he pleads "do not say a word when we get back".

"Arthur, I'm insulted!" Morgana dramatically exclaims her hand on her chest "You act as if I embarrass you". Arthur just stares at her blankly waiting for his sister to drop the act.

"Fine" she resolves "I won't say a word- unless conversation is initiated, otherwise it would be rude not to respond, and if there is one thing that I am not, it is rude" she concludes with a nod and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Thank you dear sister" Arthur embellishes "You are much too kind".

"You don't deserve me actually".

"Ha! You've got _that_ right!" Arthur says before briskly walking away from the car once he realizes that Morgana is fishing through her bag to find something to throw at him.

Arthur continues walking up the block, using the street lamps as his guide and then finally arrives at the building. He gets to the door just as she is about to lock it, giving her a scare. She puts her hand to her chest and takes a moment to steady her breathing before opening the door for him.

"Detective Inspector Pendragon, we were just about to close for the evening. Do you mind returning tomorrow perhaps?"

"Actually- Mona, is it?"

"Yes" the secretary is pleasantly surprised that he remembers her name after the one brief encounter they had during his and his sister's meeting with Gwen at the firm a few days ago.

"Well, Mona, it is urgent and cannot wait until tomorrow" Arthur says. Mona can hear the critical tone in Arthur's voice and steps further inside opening the door a bit wider and allows him to enter behind her.

"Wait here, detective. Gwen is in her office, I'll go get her for you". But Mona doesn't have to fetch the attorney as she; Elyan and Gwaine emerge from their offices. Arthur's senses are immediately assaulted by Guinevere's laugh, the result of the male brunette attorney whispering something into her ear, but Arthur is used to her laugh now- even more used to the arousal he receives from it. This time it is the sight of her hair that paralyzes him. In all the three encounters that Arthur has had with Guinevere, she had always had her hair back or up away from her face. But now…now her hair was wild and free; without restraint. Her deep brown curls poured down around her long elegant neck, past her strong, and equally elegant, shoulders and continued down to her bosom, where two of her blouse's buttons were undone to reveal even more of her smooth, flawless complexion. Arthur just could not take his eyes off of her- not even if someone armed with a bullhorn had aimed and projected their voice directly into his ear, could they have broken him from the trance; the hex that Guinevere's very presence had placed upon him. Mona could see the effect that Gwen was having on Arthur, Elyan was the next to witness how this man was enraptured by his sister and he narrows his eyes at the man and begins sizing him up, followed by Gwaine; who quickly looks from him to Mona, not appreciating the close proximity between her and the blonde man. All three could see that Arthur was lost in Guinevere; save for her, as she continues walking with her colleagues on either side of her and searching through her navy blue leather handbag, for her car keys.

Gwaine was the first to break Arthur out of his spell "Mona, who the hell is?" he asks looking the blonde over from head to toe.

"Gwaine!' Mona exclaims "That is no way to speak to a guest. And if you were not wearing sun spectacles while _inside_ of a building, perhaps you would be able to see more clearly" she scolds her boyfriend as she walks a few steps to her left to flick the light switch back up that she had already shut while preparing for them to leave the law firm; before that, only the two lamps on either side of her desk and the street lamps outside illuminated the lobby.

"Well I know how much you like me in my aviator shades" the Irish attorney responds flippantly as he removes his shades and winks at the secretary. Once the lights come on and the spectacles are no longer obscuring his vision, Gwaine instantly realizes who the attorney is, as does Guinevere.

"Arthur!" they say in unison "What brings you here mate?" Gwaine continues as he extends a hand to shake Arthur's who gladly obliges him.

"Gwaine, good to see you again" Arthur greets the lawyer then remembers "If memory serves me well, I do believe that you still owe me a tenner".

"He still owes me a twenty" Elyan comebacks, and then looks critically at Arthur "I'm Elyan; Gwen's brother" he says extending his hand to the detective.

Arthur takes into account what Lance told him a while back about Elyan's protective nature over Guinevere, and if his shrewd stare is any indication of that, he will certainly have to win both Guinevere _and_ Elyan over when he decides to make his intentions for her known.

Arthur extends his hand to meet Elyan's and they shake hands "I'm Arthur Pendragon, Detective Inspector". I came here in hopes of getting Guinevere to come with me-"

"Go with you where?" Elyan asks and reflexively stands in front of his sister, shielding her from Arthur's view.

"- to Mrs. Randall's home" then Arthur thinks of the implication that his title might have given the lawyer "I'm not here to question or arrest your sister, Elyan- if that's what you were thinking. Guinevere and I are working on a case together. We have a major development in the case and I thought she would want to be present when we question Mrs. Randall, that's all" Arthur continues, trying to reassure Elyan.

"Elyan…" Guinevere says stepping from behind her brother "…do you mind?" Elyan steps aside to allow Gwen to come into full view, but he remains unyielding by her side.

Arthur understands Elyan's position, as he too is protective of Morgana. Although she doesn't _need_ the protection, it is still his duty as her brother to provide it all the same.

"Don't mind my brother, detective, he's quite overprotective of me- even though _I_ am the eldest and should be the one guarding _him_" Gwen says looking pointedly at her brother.

"It has nothing to do with age, Gwen. I am a man, and by my very nature, I must _protect_ those I love".

"He's right" Arthur and Gwaine agree in accord. Mona and Gwen share a look that says 'must be a man thing' and she decides to leave it at that.

"Okay Arthur, I'm ready when you are" Gwen says slipping her arms into her turmeric- yellow coat followed by wrapping her favourite, cinnamon coloured, silk scarf around her neck "I will follow you in my car".

"Gwen" Mona cuts in "there is no need to take two cars to Mrs. Randall's residence; you can just ride along with Detective Pendragon and I will drive your car home for you." Mona turns and smiles at Arthur "I only live two floors down".

"But how will I get home afterwards?"

"I will drop you off" Arthur offers kindly secretly hoping he does not sound too eager.

"I don't want to trouble you, Arthur" Gwen responds thoughtfully.

"It's no trouble, Guinevere. Look, I can tie a blindfold around my eyes if it is your address that you do not want me to see" Arthur suggests with a nervous laugh.

"And just _how_ exactly will you be able to drive if you are blindfolded?" Gwen asks un-amused.

While Arthur is glad that Morgana is in the car and unable to witness, and later tease him for, the nervous, and failed, joke, at this moment he wishes that she had refused to stay in the car and to come along with him to do the talking because like she said, Guinevere makes him nervous, and nervous people tend to do and _say_ stupid things; apparently. Arthur stuffs both hands into either of his jacket's pockets and nervously shifts his weight from his left to right foot, and offers a crooked apologetic smile,

"It was only a joke, Guinevere".

"It wasn't a very funny one" Elyan mutters annoyingly while looking at his wristwatch.

Gwen looks sharply at her brother before she pinches his upper right arm.

"Ouch!" Elyan howls as Mona and Gwaine snicker behind their hands "What was that for?"

"…For being rude- and stop looking at your wristwatch!" Gwen instructs Elyan. "I'm sorry Arthur, my brother is _usually_ a nice and polite man" Gwen says looking over at the man in question, who is now pouting and dramatically rubbing his 'bruise'.

"That's alright, Guinevere" Arthur chuckles "In fact I think Elyan would get along great with Merlin. They can take turns insulting me, as good friends often do" Arthur says a bit optimistically.

A car horn honks from outside and Arthur immediately recognizes it as his own and knows Morgana will give him hell if he keeps her waiting any longer.

"That was my sister; I'm sure of it" Arthur says to the group "We should probably leave now, if we don't want to travel by foot, Guinevere".

Gwen snickers and then smiles warmly at Arthur "It's quite _nice_ to see a grown man afraid of his sister. _See_ Elyan…" Gwen turns to her brother "…something you two share in common" the attorney concludes with another laugh joined by Mona and Gwaine, while Arthur and Elyan share a mutual scowl at the laughing trio; more so at its ringleader.

"Ha, ha- very funny" Elyan retorts "You two had better be going then. It was nice meeting you Arthur" Elyan says extending his hand to Arthur, who does the same.

"Likewise, Elyan" Arthur responds.

Elyan tightens his grip on the handshake, making it firmer "You make sure that you have my sister home by a reasonable hour." he says earnestly to Arthur.

The detective reciprocates the constriction while keeping his eyes leveled with the attorney's "You have my word that I will".

Elyan continues staring at Arthur before briefly looking away to Gwen, and then cracks a smile when he sees his sister roll her eyes at him "I haven't had to use that line in a while now, huh Gwennie?" he says breaking his and Arthur's handshake and then wrapping his arm around his sister's shoulder.

'_Gwennie_' Arthur thinks 'how endearing'. He bows his head slightly and covers his mouth to hide a smile behind his hand.

"And that is because I've asked you _not_ to".

"Oh come now, love, you can't deny your brother the little joys in life" Gwaine says with a smile.

"Or his birthright" Arthur nods approvingly.

"Thank you gentlemen" Elyan says actually appreciating Arthur's choice of words.

"Oh, so are the three of you _best mates_ now?" Gwen asks mockingly.

"I rather think they are" Mona adds with an impressed nod "But we should all get going now. I'll just relieve you of your car keys, love" Mona says holding out her hand to Gwen "I wouldn't want to keep that lady detective waiting; she looks like she has good aim" Mona teases.

"You have _no_ idea" Arthur confirms.

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><p>Morgana kept her promise to her brother, she did not say a word when he and Guinevere finally emerged from the law firm and found their way into his car; she did give him a quick well- aimed jab to the left arm when Guinevere wasn't looking, but she did not say a word. However, Gwen did.<p>

"Good evening, Detective Sergeant Morgana" Gwen says after she is comfortably seated in the car's back seat.

"Good evening, Gwen, and please, no need for formalities, you're practically…" Morgana stops herself- well Arthur's sharp glare stops her.

"I'm practically what?" Gwen asks looking between the two Pendragons confused.

"…Uh…you're practically my peer…" 'You're practically my sister-in-law- the way my brother is fond of you' is what Morgana _really_ wanted to say "…professionally and age wise, so no need for the titles, yeah?"

"Fine by me, I'm not one who's much for formalities either" Gwen shrugs with a smile.

Arthur breathes a quiet sigh of relief and then starts the car.

"Gwen, that is a lovely coat you're wearing" Morgana remarks.

"Thank you, it was a gift from my mate Mona, she calls it 'turmeric-yellow'; says it goes nicely with my skin tone".

"She's absolutely right, it looks lovely on you" Morgana reiterates.

"Aww, thank you Morgana, though to be completely honest with you, I suspect Mona bought it strictly with the intentions of borrowing it from me. You see, yellow is one of her favourite colours, _plus_ we wear the same size" Gwen laughs and Morgana joins her.

Arthur continues driving, jealous at the ease of which his sister is able to strike a conversation with Guinevere. If only _he'd_ complimented her on the coat, 'it _is_ a lovely hue against her skin' he admits mentally, it would be with _him_ that Guinevere would be chatting, sharing and laughing with. 'Women and their fashions!' he thinks.

"Mona is a girl after my own heart" Morgana says with a smile.

"…Mine too" Gwen agrees "But enough about me, that plum coat you're wearing looks _gorgeous_ on you". Arthur can't help but smile as Guinevere unknowingly compliments him, for it was he who gifted the coat to Morgana.

"Thank you" Morgana smiles fully and relishes the rare female praise that she misses out on while at work "Arthur bought it for me for my birthday last year; one of the few gifts I decided to keep actually" Morgana says earning a rich laugh from Gwen before she joins in with her. Arthur, too, laughs at the light insult.

"Morgana has very particular tastes, so I've learned just to give her jewelry or gift cards; a girl's best friends I've quickly learned, for birthdays and holidays. I took a chance on the coat because it reminded me of one she wore, and loved, as a child, she would have worn it in the summer months if father had let her have her way" Arthur says with a smile quickly glancing in the rear-view mirror as he addresses Guinevere and continues to drive.

Gwen takes a moment to look back at Arthur through the rear-view mirror. Not only looking at him, but actually _seeing_ him, and beginning to admire him. _"Relax, he seems harmless"_ she remembers Mona's words vividly. 'Maybe this one _is_ different' Gwen thinks.

"That was not only observant, but very sweet and thoughtful of you, Arthur. I think Elyan may have some competition for the 'Brother of The Year' award" she smiles at him from the backseat. Arthur is a bit taken aback by the praise, before he smiles back and continues to drive when the traffic light changes.

Morgana observes the smitten exchange before turning her head to smile into the crisp air that greeted her from outside through the open passenger's side window.

"Well he hasn't done anything generous for me lately, so Elyan may have nothing to fear after all" Morgana says with a casual shrug.

"That's not true" Arthur says while approaching Alder's Lane "Just a few weeks ago I saved your hide from the Chief when you and Leon got…" Arthur clears his throat "…_sidetracked_, and reported to duty twenty minutes late".

"Arthur!" Morgana yells as she turns around, her cheeks already a few shades away from mirroring her plum coat, and looks to the backseat's occupant before turning back around to punch her brother in the arm.

"Ouch!" Arthur howls, reminding Gwen of the exchange between her and her brother only minutes ago.

"Good- you're lucky that's all you'll get!" Morgana bites down on each word. Gwen hides her face into her scarf and turns her head toward the open window to muffle her giggling even more. She moves her scarf from her face and a familiar scent enthralls her nostrils, so she decides to change the subject.

"Mmm, don't you just love the smell of freshly baked bread? 'Henri's' makes the best baguettes" Gwen states with her eyes closed and inhaling the scent emitting from the bakery as Arthur is turning past 'Henri's Boulagerie'.

Morgana releases a quiet sigh of relief, thankful that Gwen has the decency not to pry further into Arthur's comment, or to make a comment of her own.

Arthur looks at the rearview mirror and into the backseat to see Guinevere smiling delightfully as she continues to smell the sweet aroma of baked goods in the air.

"The baguettes are good; yes, but I'm partial to the scones" he says. Gwen turns her head from the window, her eyes fully lit up at the mention of scones, and she looks at Arthur in the rearview mirror to address him.

"Have you tried their seasonal scones?"

"_Of course_" Morgana answers before he does "I just _adore_ the spring onion and cheddar scones Henri makes during springtime. Ah, I wish it were spring now so that I can have one with a glass of wine. Tea doesn't pair too well with cheddar; I found out the hard way" Morgana states with a grimace earning another laugh from Gwen.

"Ah, so you're a savory girl? I love sweets, myself. All of the scones at 'Henri's' are delicious, but my favourite seasonal scone is the maple walnut scone, which he bakes only during autumn".

"Lucky girl" Morgana mocks jealously "Maybe we can pop in afterward and get you some for morning".

"Sounds lovely to me" Gwen agrees "How about you Arthur? What's your favourite scone?"

"Well…" Arthur starts as he turns left on Smith Street, the bakery already out of sight and scent "…the spring onion and cheddar scone is delicious; as is the maple walnut, but I'm a purist, so I almost always go for the traditional cream scone with a bit of strawberry jam and a nice hot 'cuppa" he concludes satisfyingly.

Arthur looks at the rearview mirror again and sees that Guinevere has a distant, almost nostalgic, look in her eyes.

"You alright, Guinevere?" he asks.

She nods positively and smiles "Yes, it's just that, your preferred scone, that is the way that my Mum would make and serve hers, every Sunday morning" she says with a longing smile.

Arthur reaches Main Street just as the traffic signals for him to stop. Both he and Morgana look at the rearview mirror and into the backseat at Gwen, who quickly wipes a single tear from her eye before smiling brightly at the two. Arthur feels a small lump in his throat and forces it down before smiling back at Guinevere.

"My Mum would prepare scones the same way, every Sunday as well, from what my father has told me. I suppose that's why I still prefer my scones that way today, as a way of being close to her".

"…_Close_ to her?" Gwen repeats softly.

"She passed away when I was just three years old" Arthur says sadly before the traffic light signals for him to proceed and he turns right onto Main Street.

Gwen instinctively reaches for his shoulder and squeezes it reassuringly. Initially, Arthur is surprised by the gesture, but the longer Guinevere keeps her hand there, the more comforting it becomes.

"I'm so sorry to hear that Arthur" Gwen decides it is only right to confide in him, her own loss "My Mum died when I was just nine years old, so I believe me, I understand how you feel" she says gently.

Morgana sits in silence and fights the tears that are welling in her eyes, but two manage to escape anyway, before she brusquely brushes them away.

Arthur comes to a full stop as they arrive across the street from Mrs. Randall's residence. The three of them sit in the car for a while to gather and compose themselves before Arthur breaks the silence,

"I say we all just get muffins the next time we're at 'Henri's', yeah?". Gwen is the first to burst out laughing, followed by Morgana before Arthur joins them. All three allow the tears of pain to escape, now that they no longer had a painful reason to do so.

"Okay ladies, shall we?" Arthur says as he opens the driver's side door then removes the key from the ignition before placing it into his jacket's pocket. Once outside, Arthur opens the rear door for Guinevere and helps her out, to which she politely thanks him, before he crosses over to the passenger's side and does the same for his sister.

The trio starts to walk the path before crossing the street to get to Mrs. Randall's home. As they are crossing, Arthur finds himself in the middle of Morgana and Gwen, so he wraps his arm around Morgana's shoulder and when he goes to do the same for Guinevere, he thinks better of it and puts his hand back down to his side. 'We're not familiar' he thinks to himself 'easy does it', and they continue walking.

Guinevere opens the small gate in front of 19F Main Street and climbs the five stairs leading to the door as Arthur and Morgana follow suit and stand behind her, then she rings the bell. No one answers. The detectives and the attorney can hear hushed, anxious commands and feet shuffling inside the home, signaling that people were indeed inside, so Guinevere rings the doorbell again.

"Mrs. Randall, it's me Guinevere. I'm here with detectives Morgana and Arthur. We would like to speak with you if that's alright" Gwen says politely from the porch step.

After a few moments Mrs. Randall responds "Just a moment, dears". A moment becomes a few minutes and Arthur is getting anxious, so he decides to ring the doorbell and address the elderly woman this time.

"Mrs. Randall, please, it is urgent that we speak to you. I'm terribly sorry that we did not give you a courtesy phone call beforehand, but this concerns Tilly and the matter could not wait" he pleads.

That seems to do the trick, as they hear Mrs. Randall unlatching the safety lock on her door before she opens it to greet them.

"Good evening, dears. I wasn't expecting company tonight- you know, a phone call would have been nice" she says sweetly but the detectives and Gwen could hear the underlying annoyance in her tone.

"We apologize for that Mrs. Randall" Morgana says sweetly "May we come in, it will only take a moment of your time". Mrs. Randall hugs her housecoat even tighter to her body to shield the chill from the autumn air, and pulls the door a little more toward her; blocking the detectives' and the attorney's eyes from prying into her home.

"I'm afraid I'm very busy this evening, can't it wait until tomorrow?" she implores to the threesome.

"Mrs. Randall…" Gwen looks at her wristwatch "…it is only eight o'clock in the evening. Wouldn't you prefer that we speak now instead of coming by early tomorrow and disrupting your mo-" Guinevere is unable to finish her sentence as she is startled from a noise that comes from within Mrs. Randall's home.

She is not the only one who hears the sound; the horror etched across Mrs. Randall's face proves that. Gwen looks behind her and can tell that the detectives heard it too.

"Was that a baby I heard crying?" Gwen cautiously asks the senior woman.

"N-n-n-no, it must be my- my tellie" she stammers. Arthur, being the tallest of the four, peeks over Mrs. Randall's head and into her home through the crack of the door to see that the television is off.

"I can see that the television is off Mrs. Randall, so we are going to ask you again, is there anyone else here in your home besides you?" he asks firmly.

"Yes" the old woman finally confesses as tears stream down her face.

"Who?" Gwen asks anxiously. Mrs. Randall starts sobbing and Gwen reaches into her purse and hands her a tissue napkin.

"…Tilly's baby" she whispers "Her baby boy".


	14. Chapter 14

AN:/ I'm not even going to apologize because I know some of you will not believe it; nor accept it. But I am sorry that I've been gone from this story, from my readers, for so long. It's not my fault. I just wasn't motivated to write. But I would rather be on hiatus and come back with something of quality to give you, then to put out half-assed, lack of substance updates. I will try my best to make my updates less sporadic. In the meantime, thank you to all of you who have stayed with this story and continue to read; review and add it to your 'Alert' and 'Favorite' lists. I appreciate and thank you all so, so much for your support and most importantly, your patience. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

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><p>Guinevere smooth's her trembling hands over her skirt for the fifth time. Before then, she had been pacing back and forth in her office for about an hour going through her notes, her questions and the style of execution for which she would use to pose the questions. To say that Guinevere is nervous would be a fair statement. It would also be an understatement. Today is the day…the day that Magnus Romney will go on trial for murdering his wife and Gwen is a ball of nerves. What if she missed something; a key piece of evidence that she doesn't possess but Sly does? What if Magnus Romney actually walks free? Does he know about his son? These questions, among others, continue to rotate over in Gwen's mind. Gwen takes three, deep and calming breaths to still her trembling hands. She then leans back into her smooth leather chair. Closing her eyes, she lets her mind to drift back to the discovery that was made at Mrs. Randall's home two months ago…<p>

"_Mrs. Randall…" Gwen looks at her wristwatch "…it is only eight o'clock in the evening. Wouldn't you prefer that we speak now instead of coming by early tomorrow and disrupting your mo-" Guinevere is unable to finish her sentence as she is startled from a noise that comes from within Mrs. Randall's home._

"_Was that a baby I heard crying?" Gwen cautiously asks the senior woman._

"_N-n-n-no, it must be my- my tellie" she stammers. Arthur, being the tallest of the four, peeks over Mrs. Randall's head and into her home through the crack of the door to see that the television is off._

"_I can see that the television is off Mrs. Randall, so we are going to ask you again, is there anyone else here in your home besides you?" he asks firmly._

"_Yes" the old woman finally confesses as tears stream down her face._

"_Who?" Gwen asks anxiously. Mrs. Randall starts sobbing and Gwen reaches into her purse and hands her a tissue napkin._

"…_Tilly's baby" she whispers "Her baby boy"._

_Gwen unconsciously staggers backward and Arthur catches her._

"_Are you alright, Guinevere?" he asks, concern marring his face._

"_I'm fine…I…I'm fine Arthur" Gwen straightens herself up "I'm just so relieved that we've found Tilly's baby- alive"._

"_Oh yes..." Mrs. Randall has stopped crying now "…he is very much alive; Tilly and I made sure of it"._

_The crisp wind causes all four of Mrs. Randall's' doorway occupants to shiver this time. She draws her housecoat even tighter to her petite frame and steps into her home._

"_Please…" the elder woman gestures with her hand to the attorney and the detectives "…come in from the cold"._

_Guinevere, Morgana and Arthur gladly accept Mrs. Randall's invitation and she guides them into her sitting room. Guinevere immediately notices a small green blanket and a baby's rattle tucked into the corner of the couch. She gently pry's the blanket and rattle from the couch, folds the blanket and places the rattle on top before carefully handing them over to Mrs. Randall._

"_Oh thank you, dear. I must have forgotten these in my haste…He prefers to take his naps in here, with me, while I read". Mrs. Randall takes the rattle and the blanket and places them in the top drawer of her lamp table._

"_I'll go make us a pot of tea" she continues "There is much for me to tell you". With that she disappears into her kitchen._

"_Thank God we've found him!" Morgana exclaims the words that all three are thinking._

"…_Yes" is all Gwen says, a distant look in her eyes._

_Arthur remains silent, seated with his back slightly curved and both elbows on either knee with his hands clasped together. His jaw is tightly clenched and his eyes are narrowed. Morgana can tell that he is in deep thought._

"_Arthur, what is it?" she asks._

"_What is it?" he retorts "We still haven't laid eyes on this child. Where is he? I need to see for myself that he is alive and well. We didn't come here for a social visit. Mrs. Randall needs to understand the severity and sensitivity of this situation…"_

_Mrs. Randall emerges from the kitchen just in time to hear the end of Arthur's rant. "Arthur…" Morgana reaches to touch her brother's shoulder "…calm down"._

"_No, he's right" Mrs. Randall reply's as she walks into the sitting room with the tea kettle in hand. "I will tell you, and show you, all you wish to know, detectives. But it is not often that a poor old woman like me gets visitors. It's not often that I get to serve my tea. Please, indulge me" she beckons to Arthur._

_It works._

"_I apologize, Mrs. Randall; it's been a long day" Arthur says offering a small smile._

"_I'll help you bring in the teacups, Mrs. Randall" Gwen offers as the older woman leads her into the kitchen._

_Morgana carefully moves closer to her brother and speaks to him in a whispered, gentle tone._

"_Arthur, Tilly's baby is fine. He is not alone in the world. Mrs. Randall has been taking care of him, and now he'll have a grandmother and an aunt to love him too. His mother may be gone and his monster of a father is not in the picture- and by God I'll make sure it stays that way- but he is _not_ alone. Neither were you…you had me, you had Dad; you still have me and Dad. I think you turned out alright…for a brother anyway" Morgana concludes softly nudging Arthur in the rib._

_Morgana knew that her words got through when Arthur took her hand in both of his and placed a soft kiss on the back of it before releasing her hand back to her; all the while his eyes never left the coffee table. He quickly wipes the remnants of a tear from his eye; the beginnings on the back of Morgana's hand, as Mrs. Randall and Guinevere return to the sitting room with teacups, a small pot of cream, loose tea and tea strainer in tow._

_Mrs. Randall takes three heaping teaspoons of loose tea and places them into the kettle of steaming hot water to steep before reaching behind her to steady her hands on the armrests of her chair before taking a seat._

"_Well, I suppose I should start from the beginning"._

"…_Please" Gwen urges kindly._

"_Yes…Well, it was three years ago when Tilly was over here while Magnus was at work. I was stitching her left brow. Tilly didn't want to drive all the way over to the hospital to have the procedure done; yet again. He abused her relentlessly, so often that I took it upon myself to take a few first aid and CPR courses. That morning he'd hit her so hard that he busted her brow open; to match the other, I suppose"._

_Morgana shakes her head in disdain. Arthur's jaw tightens so hard that Morgana can hear his teeth grind._

_Guinevere reaches over to the kettle, places the strainer over the first teacup and pours the piping hot tea. She continues to move the strainer from cup to cup, emptying the tea leaves onto a spare saucer and pouring, until all four teacups are filled._

"_How do you take your tea, Mrs. Randall?" Gwen asks._

"_Two sugars- and _do_ be generous with the cream" she says almost as a caution._

_Gwen smiles with a nod and continues to prepare the tea. "Please continue, Mrs. Randall"._

"_Yes. After I finished stitching Tilly's brow, she went into the bathroom; I suspected to inspect my handiwork. After she was in the bathroom for a few minutes, I began to worry so I went to go check on her. Halfway to the door I heard her crying, which did nothing for my worry. I knocked on the door and asked her if she was alright, if I'd done more harm than good with the stitches. She just continued to cry. I waited a while until the crying became soft sobs and knocked gently on the door again"._

"_When Tilly finally opened the door," Mrs. Randall continues after taking a sip of Guinevere's perfectly prepared tea "I find her sitting atop the lavatory and holding a white wand in both her hands. 'I'm pregnant' she said. She sounded so pitiful...so lost…so defeated. Under the circumstances, I couldn't fault her for not being happy and overjoyed by the news. 'I can't have a baby, Mrs. Randall' she told me '_I won't_ have a baby- not by a man who can do _this_ to me' she said pointing to her left brow '…or _this_…or _this_…or _this_…' she pointed to her right brow, her split lip, her bruised shin and all the places about her body where Magnus had been. It was like a map to look at her" Mrs. Randall shakes her head._

_Morgana brings her teacup to her face to hide the tears that escape her enraged eyes._

_Guinevere and Arthur's eyes remain dry, but just as enraged._

"_I don't want you to think lowly of Tilly, detectives; Gwen" Mrs. Randall implores to the three "But Tilly was resolved to abort her babe. She refused to have a child in an environment where she was not safe and at times was often too weak from pain to even take care of her own self. I begged her to change her mind to the point where I too was in tears. I promised her, I told her that if she has the baby I will take care of it. She could not believe me. 'How can you take care of my child, Mrs. Randall? Magnus would never allow it'. She was right. I had not thought of that, I just didn't want her to suffer that kind of pain; the pain of losing a child"._

_Mrs. Randall places her teacup and saucer onto the tray before continuing. "I know that kind of pain. My little boy Patrick died in my arms after taking only a few breaths. His lungs weren't strong enough, doctors said. He looked up at me; only a few minutes old and his eyes were already open" Mrs. Randall says smiling, looking off into the distance "He had the bluest eyes. And he smiled at me- I just know he smiled at me- before his eyes closed…never to open again"._

_Guinevere reaches into her handbag, draws out a handkerchief and hands it to Mrs. Randall who kindly accepts it. Guinevere, Morgana and Arthur remain in respectful silence and wait for Mrs. Randall to continue._

"_That was thirty five years ago. I carry Patrick's smile with me always. While I did not have him for long, I am grateful to have had those few, priceless, precious moments as a mother at all, and I wanted Tilly to have that opportunity as well. So I told her to tell Magnus that she was pregnant, perhaps knowing that, he wouldn't beat on her anymore. And you know what, it worked! He stopped beating her; he even stopped his drinking until she was into the eighth month of her pregnancy"._

"_What happened around the eighth month?" Arthur asks for the group._

"_Magnus lost ten thousand pounds betting on a horse race. What's more, that was the startup money for the baby's university fund. Oh, Tilly was furious- and she let Magnus know of it too! Well, he didn't appreciate her disapproval and showed his own disapproval by slapping her across the face. He didn't stop there, either. He punched Tilly about the face, giving her a black eye, and hit her in her mouth, so hard, that a tooth flew loose. She begged and pleaded with him; reminding him of her pregnancy. I believe carrying his child is what saved her from far worse that night. She ran over here to me while Magnus went to the nearest pub to drink his anger and frustration away"._

"_That monster hadn't changed at all" Mrs. Randall sighs._

"_That was the night that Tilly went into labor. Thankfully for us we had the foresight to pack and keep an overnight bag here in my home too. The two of us got into a cab and headed for the hospital. It was all I could do to keep from killing the cabbie! Poor thing couldn't drive as fast as Tilly would have liked; it was raining awfully hard that night"._

"_When we finally arrived at the hospital, Tilly was admitted to the obstetrics ward straight away. Thank God we caught her obstetrician, Dr. Alice, before she retired for the evening, too. Dr. Alice was so distracted by the horrible bruises on Tilly's face that it took her a moment to realize that Tilly was in labor. Tilly may have been a small woman, but she was strong and determined when it counted the most. On the way to the hospital she had already formulated a plan. Tilly told Dr. Alice that the only way that she would have her child is if she could sign custodial rights and guardianship over to me to raise her child. Dr. Alice only had to take one look at Tilly's swollen-shut eye, her bloodied lip, her disheveled hair and her swollen, pregnant belly to agree to the plan"._

"_What plan?" Guinevere, Arthur and Morgana ask simultaneously completely taken in by Mrs. Randall's recollection._

"…_the plan to fake a successful delivery. Instead Tilly had Dr. Alice agreed to tell Magnus that she had a miscarriage, meanwhile the baby was healthily delivered and living here with me"._

"_That's a terrible thing to do- fake a child's death!" Gwen nearly shouts._

"_Gwen, it is a terrible thing…but under the circumstances, think of what the alternative could have been" Morgana implores to the attorney "That baby could have been a witness to his own mother's brutal murder- or worse, a murder victim himself"._

"_You're right. It's just…to use a baby as a pawn that way…it seems a little cruel"._

"_It does" Arthur agrees "But as Morgana just pointed out…it was for the right reason"._

"_So two years ago…" Mrs. Randall continues "…Tilly left Albion General Hospital pregnant, but I came home with a new born"._

"_How did Magnus react?" Gwen asks her voice calm once more._

"_He had the nerve to blame Tilly; said she wasn't strong enough to carry his child"._

"_Not strong enough to carry his child _and_ be his punching bag" Morgana retorts "Monster!"._

"_Every morning before she left for work and every evening when she returned from work, Tilly would call me to put her son on the phone, just to hear him breathe, laugh, babble- cry- anything really. Before she went to bed I would call once more, in secret, so she could bid him and me goodnight. For two years she followed this routine; faithfully, being a mother the best way that she could, keeping her boy safe, waiting and planning for the day when she would finally leave Magnus and be with her boy…until Magnus finally did it. He finally killed her"._

_The four of them sit there, silently, reflectively, each of them having played their part in Tilly Romney's life and ultimately in her demise._

_Guinevere is the first to ask about the subject of their visit, the one who had been a mystery to them up until recently, the one who Tilly; no doubt, died for as her last act on this earth, as a mother, trying to save him._

"_Mrs. Randall, where is Tilly's son?"_

_Both Arthur and Morgana straighten up in their seats in anticipation of the response._

_Mrs. Randall stands and looks over to her right where her beloved husband's grandfather clock stands and she smiles at his memory before reading the time: nine thirty pm._

"_He's just upstairs" she responds. "I would like to thank you all for keeping an old widow company and sitting down to have tea with me. I wish the conversation could have been lighter" she giggles briefly at her own joke._

"_He's used to me calling his Mum at ten every evening so that she can bid us goodnight, so I'm sure that he's still awake. I won't delay you all any further, it's time that you met Tilly's boy"._

_As Mrs. Randall walks out of the sitting room and to the foot of the stairs, Arthur and Morgana and Guinevere stand. The siblings move closer to Guinevere. The three could sense one another's nerves and holding hands just felt the right thing to do: so they did._

_After a minute or two the stairs begin to creak and Guinevere squeezes Arthur's hand even tighter. But it is not Mrs. Randall who descends down the stairs first. Another woman is carrying a blanket; a moving blanket. Mrs. Randall is just behind the woman and remembers she hasn't made the introduction yet._

"_This is Beatrice, his nurse"._

_That makes sense. Guinevere remembers that she heard hushed voices earlier in the evening from outside the house when she rang Mrs. Randall's doorbell. Unless Mrs. Randall was talking to her own self, this must be the other person who the second hushed voice belongs to._

"_Good evening" Beatrice addresses the attorney and the detectives._

"_Good evening" they respond in kind._

_Beatrice removes the blanket that is covering the bundle on her right shoulder to reveal a head of soft-brown, curled hair and a big pair of smoke-gray eyes; Tilly's eyes. Those gray eyes scan over the three strangers standing in the sitting room, taking in their faces, before they land squarely on Guinevere. The boy wiggles in his nurse's arms to be set free._

_Just as soon as Beatrice puts him down, he runs over to Guinevere and stops right in front of her. He smiles brightly up at Guinevere, who smiles in return and kneels down to meet the curious child._

"_Hi!" he says._

"_Hello" Guinevere says back._

"_I would like you all to meet Jonah, Tilly's son" Mrs. Randall says proudly._

"_Jonah, what a beautiful name" Gwen says._

"…_for a beautiful boy" Morgana supplies with a smile; which Jonah shyly returns before turning his focus back to Guinevere._

"_Tilly named him after her mother: Joan. It was her way of honouring her mother; keeping her mother close to her although Ma- that man…" Mrs. Randall backpedals "…kept them apart"._

"_So you know Tilly's mother?" Gwen asks._

"_No, but as often as Tilly spoke of her I feel as if I do know her"._

_Jonah reaches up to Gwen's hair and curiously plays with one of her curls. He then reaches up to her face and gently runs his chubby fingers across her freckled cheeks._

"_Pretty" he concludes with a smile before running back over to Mrs. Randall and hides behind her housecoat._

_Arthur smiles at the curious, smitten- and accurate- little boy and completely agrees with his assessment._

_Mrs. Randall reaches down with an aged hand and softly strokes Jonah's cheek, coaxing him to come out from hiding. It works._

_He then runs over to the telephone and grabs the receiver extending his arm to Mrs. Randall,_

"_Nan…" he says "…we call Mum, please" his gray eyes implore the elder woman._

"_Your Mum's still on holiday, Jonah" Beatrice says a bit easier now. "Come now. Let's get you ready for bed". His head hangs low as he places the phone back on the charger; the same routine for the past month, and walks over to his nurse. Arthur, Guinevere, Morgana _and_ Mrs. Randall have to fight the lump in their throats at the sight of the dejected little boy._

"_I'll be up in a little bit, Jonah. Say goodbye to the nice people" Mrs. Randall coaxes him._

_He looks up, sadly, and with no interest at all he murmurs "Bye" before Beatrice bends down and scoops him up to take him up the stairs._

_When she hears the door close, Mrs. Randall speaks._

"_I haven't the heart to tell him that his mother isn't really on holiday. How do you tell a little boy that his mother is never coming home, that his mother is really dead?"_

_Arthur, Morgana and Guinevere think back to how their fathers told them, and how painful it was to accept; how painful it still is._

"_By getting justice" Arthur somberly vows._

Guinevere opens her eyes feeling a renewed sense of focus, determination, drive and justice. She remembers those sad gray eyes that bore through her over four months ago when she first met Tilly, and then she sees the same sad gray eyes that smiled briefly at her when she met Jonah two months ago.

Today, those eyes will see justice.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: **To my readers, thank you for sticking with me. Truly, I thank you.

***Warning*** this chapter may be disturbing to some readers. Please try to take no offense.

* * *

><p>Guinevere walks into the courtroom; Mona, Gwaine and Elyan at her side. She had told the three that there was no need for them to take the day off to physically be there in support of her. She would not think any less of them if they stayed at the firm. But they would not hear of it and insisted on being present, out ruling her three to one. Though Gwen did not say it, she was glad that her friends were there for the first day of the trial; Elyan especially. Of the three, she valued his opinion and approval the most. But Elyan never gave her any reason to second guess herself. He supported her decisions (both personal and professional) and always held her in the highest regard, as a lawyer but more importantly, as a sister. Having her brother present will help to keep Gwen's nerves at bay and keep her sharp.<p>

Seated directly behind the Prosecution's bench are Mrs. Randall, Joan Lucas and Sabrina Lucas- Scott and her husband, Matthew. Guinevere, at the insistence of Mrs. Randall, introduced her to Joan and Sabrina almost immediately after learning of Jonah's existence. The two women; Tilly's birth mother and her surrogate mother, bonded instantly. When Mrs. Randall revealed to Ms. Lucas that she was a grandmother, Joan could have drowned in her tears, she cried so freely. Her tears of shock, joy and pain mingled with tears of relief. The moment Joan laid eyes on her grandson, her heart swelled with a love that she did not think herself capable of anymore. She kneeled, carefully, her aged body to the ground and extended her hand to the little boy hiding behind the skirt of Mrs. Randall's dress, taking care not to frighten him, allowing him to approach her of his own volition and resisting the urge to scoop him up him up into her arms and shower him with kisses.

Jonah tentatively put one foot ahead of the other, keeping his large, curious eyes on the strange woman's outstretched hand, until he stood inches away from her. He looked into her eyes and slowly tilted his head from the left, to the right, examining her face with childlike curiosity. Finally, Jonah stopped his scrutiny and pointed to Ms. Lucas's face.

"…My eyes. Mummy's eyes" he said.

Joan finally released the breath she'd been unaware that she held while under the scrutiny of her grandson. His simple observation brought fresh tears to her eyes. Not only did her grandson recognize himself in her, he recognized his mother there too.

"Yes, that's right; your Mum has my eyes. You have her eyes too, my sweet boy. Tell me dear, what is your name?"

"…Jonah".

"Jonah…" Ms. Lucas closed her eyes, bowed her head and held a fist to her mouth to hold back any sobs that might have escaped her lips. Though Magnus took Tilly away from her…Tilly kept her mother in her heart and loved her, so much so that she named her only child after her. Joan took a deep breath and looked back up at her grandson and into her daughter's grey eyes and forgetting about her initial cautions she finally reached both hands up and took Jonah's face into her palms. He was startled at first, only for a moment, before he relaxed and allowed her to continue. Joan tenderly stroked his plump, ruddy cheeks, his chin, his nose, before brushing a stray curl away from his face and kissing his forehead. When she was finished, she pulled back to marvel at Jonah and to answer the unasked question in his eyes.

"I am your grandmother, Jonah. I am your Mum's Mum".

Jonah, recognizing grandmother as the word his nurse Beatrice used, to refer to Mrs. Randall, looked confusedly at Ms. Lucas before turning around to point to Mrs. Randall, standing just a few feet away, behind him.

"…She, Nan. My Nan" he said firmly.

"Yes…yes I am" Mrs. Randall says as she approaches Jonah and kneels beside Ms. Lucas.

"…But Ms. Lucas is your grandmother, too. You have two nans now, Jonah".

"Two? …I two" he says proudly.

"You sure are, darling". Both grandmothers laugh fondly in amazement at the young child.

Jonah looks back and forth between the two women, trying to understand this new revelation. But he is only a baby. Jonah does not yet understand the undying love that he sees in the eyes of those two aged faces; the two women who have kept, and will always keep, his mother alive.

"This is your proper Nan" Mrs. Randall points to Ms. Lucas "And I…I am your _special_ Nan".

After a few moments pass Jonah reaches out and hugs Ms. Lucas tightly, with the enthusiasm fitting of only a two year old, around the neck and kisses her cheek before pulling away.

"Nan!" he declares.

"He reaches over to Mrs. Randall and repeats the sequence and concludes with a:

"Special Nan!".

"He's very bright for a two year old, isn't he?" Ms. Lucas remarks marveled at how quickly Jonah has grasped the concept of having two grandmothers.

"You've done a most wonderful job raising him thus far, Mrs. Randall".

"Well the pleasure has been all mine, really" she beamed.

Ms. Lucas took Mrs. Randall's hand and briefly held it to her lips "I thank you, dear, for keeping my grandson safe…for keeping my daughter's legacy alive".

And so Jonah accepted his new grandmother quite easily. It was her eyes: the familiarity, the similarity and the trust that he recognized there that made the choice for him. It was also for this very reason that Sabrina was hesitant- scared, even- to meet her nephew. How could she introduce herself to him as his aunt when she looked identical to his dead mother? The poor boy would be confused; happy at first, but eventually, he would be confused and perhaps even angry. Sabrina watched the introductions from the landing of the stairs before disappearing up them...

"He's beautiful" she whispered upward to the attic's ceiling. "He looks so much like you, Til'; nothing like…_him_. You've done well, Til'; despite his efforts, you've done so well. I just wish you were here to see for yourself. …Hmm, Jonah…I like it. You do know that Mum won't want him out of her site, now" Sabrina giggled. Then she sighed "I want to meet your boy, Til'- honest, I do. But I'm sure you understand the predicament I'm in…I don't want to frighten him. Should I wear spectacles, a wig- prosthetics, even?! …No, that would be dishonest. He doesn't deserve that and neither do you. I suppose I'll just have to wait to meet Jonah. Matthew wants us to try to have children but I've always told him that I am not ready; I refused to go through a pregnancy, or childbirth, without you there, in my life. …Because of me…we didn't talk for three whole years and you went through your pregnancy and childbirth all by yourself, and for that, I will never forgive myself. …I only hope that you can forgive me, Til'. But it looks like you were not alone after all; you had Mrs. Randall with you in Mum's and my absence. I'm glad you had her, she seems really lovely, and she genuinely loves Jonah, too".

Sabrina thumbed through the rows of books in Tilly's old "library", until she found her sister's childhood favourite: 'Charlotte's Web'. She picked up the book and held it tightly to her chest.

"I really miss you, Til'. Maybe I can make up for lost time, with Jonah. …And maybe you can make up for lost time…_through_ Jonah".

Matthew held Sabrina's hand a little tighter when he felt it tremble. "We don't have to be here if you don't want to, love".

"No…no, I want to stay. I want to make sure that he sees my face when he sits on that stand. I want him to see me; to see Tilly. I want our face to haunt him".

Sylvester Barnes, who had been seated at the Defendant's bench, finally decides to approach Guinevere.

"Gwen…"

Gwen never looks up from her desk,

"…Sly", she says.

"Gwen, I want to wish you good luck today". She would not have looked up at him were in not for the raw sincerity of his voice. Guinevere looked up at Sly, into those steel-blue eyes, and saw nothing but genuineness and honesty; not a hint of arrogance. She stood up and accepted Sly's outstretched hand, giving him a firm handshake.

"Thank you Sylvester, truly. But I won't need luck today. …The evidence will be more than enough".

Detectives Morgana and Arthur Pendragon enter the courtroom with Dr. Merlin and Doctors Alice and Gaius in tow. They all opt to sit in the last pew on the Prosecution's side. Guinevere looks up just in time to catch Arthur's nod of acknowledgement. She nods in return and turns back around at the sound of shackles echoing in the courtroom. The entire courtroom; jurors, attorneys, witnesses, supporters, reporters, they all fall silent at the sight of Magnus Romney entering the courtroom with two bailiff escorts. Guinevere can't believe her eyes…

Magnus Romney is a shell of the man that he was four months ago. His face is pale and drawn, his head is completely shaved, his mustache and beard gone too. With his lack of access to Albion's various bars and pubs that he used to patrol, his beer belly is gone and his prison- issued uniform is hanging off of his newly- thin frame. But what jumps out at Guinevere the most are Magnus' desolate eyes; where nonchalance, calculation and evil lived not just months ago. Magnus was only in prison for months but he aged as if he'd been in there for years.

The court officer asks all parties of the court to rise as the judge enters the courtroom. Guinevere already learned a few weeks ago that Judge Firth would be presiding over the trial, but seeing him seated at the dais confirmed it and calmed her nerves a bit.

Sylvester gives his opening statement first. Guinevere opts to give hers later on.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I ask that you be not affected by the media, social media or other external sources when convening to draw your verdict for my client. I ask that you judge my client solely on the evidence presented to you during this trial and that no matter what, or how, you may feel about him personally…" Sylvester visibly swallows at his words "…that your judgment be unbiased, that you judge him for the crime he is accused of and not his past transgressions. Thank you".

Sylvester looks to the judge,

"You may proceed, Mr. Barnes".

"Thank you, your Honour, but I have no witnesses at this time so I will defer to Ms. Leodegrance".

"Very well, then. Ms. Leodegrance, you may precede".

"Thank you, your Honour. I would like to call Police Constable Percival Gunner to the witness stand". PC Gunner, who was seated in the same row as Elyan, Gwaine and Mona, walks up to the witness stand where he is met by the bailiff holding a bible.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I swear".

"PC Gunner, you were the first responder on the scene the night of Tilly Romney's murder, correct?"

"Yes, Mam, I was".

"And what was the first thing you witnessed upon arriving at the scene?"

"I witnessed him" Percival pointed to Magnus Romney "the defendant, seated in the driver's seat of his car, covered in his wife's blood, parked in front of their residence".

"Objection, your Honour, the witness could not have known that my client was covered in his wife's blood if he had not yet witnessed the crime scene, or her body".

"Objection, sustained. Ms. Leodegrance, you must school your witnesses more thoroughly…"

"I apologize, your Honour". Gwen looks over to PC Percival and looks at him levelly, who complies by taking a deep breath and nodding his comprehension.

"What else did you witness that night, PC Gunner?"

"The suspect was wearing a blood covered t- shirt. I also witnessed a bloody kitchen knife in his left hand. After my partner and I confiscated the weapon then arrested and apprehended the suspect, we went into the Romney residence where I witnessed the walls covered in blood and the state of the home in complete disarray. In the middle of the living room floor is where I discovered Mrs. Randall, the Romney's neighbor, cradling Tilly Romney's blood covered body to her own. …I literally had to pull her away from Tilly's body and out of the crime scene".

Ms. Lucas squeezes Mrs. Randall's hand.

"Thank you, PC Gunner" Gwen says then turns her attention to the defense attorney "Your witness".

"I have no questions for this witness" says Sylvester.

"You may step down now, PC Gunner". Percival nods to the judge and steps down from the witness bench to resume his seat glaring at Magnus Romney all the way.

"I would like to call my next witness, your Honour, Dr. Merlin Emyrs". Merlin takes two deep breaths to steady his nerves; he always gets nervous when he has to testify at court.

"Go get 'em, Merlin" Arthur whispers to the medical examiner and pats him on the back as he passes him to reach the aisle. Merlin makes his way to the witness stand and is sworn in.

"Doctor Emyrs, can you tell me what you witnessed on the night of Tilly Romney's death?" Gwen asks.

"Yes. As PC Gunner stated, the crime scene was covered in blood; from the entryway leading all the way to the kitchen, the living room and the bathroom, where the attack began".

"How do you know the attack began in the bathroom?"

"After much crime scene analysis, I confirmed that the attack began in the bathroom because that is where the bloodied boot prints first appear".

Gwen walks over to the Prosecution's desk and reaches under to pull out a pair of blood-caked boots in a zipper-sealed bag and carefully shows them to the jury before reaching Merlin.

"Are these the same boots that left the bloodied footprints in the Romney residence?"

"Yes, Ms. Leodegrance, those are the very ones".

"And you know who these boots belong to, correct?"

"Objection- leading the witness!" Sylvester retorts.

"Objection, sustained".

"I'll rephrase the question, your Honour" Gwen offers.

"To whom do these boots belong, Dr. Emyrs?"

"After matching toenail fragments and shed skin cells that I found in the interior of both boots and comparing them to shed skin cells collected from the defendant's foot, they were an identical match: These boots belong to Magnus Romney".

"Thank you, Doctor" Gwen concludes. "…Your witness, Mr. Barnes".

"Doctor Emyrs, have you confirmed the murder weapon that was used on the night of the fatal attack?"

"Yes I have".

"And what was it?"

"As PC Gunner already testified, the first responders who arrived on the scene found the defendant with a blood-covered kitchen knife in his possession. After running tests on the knife at my lab I confirmed that the blood found on the knife belongs to the deceased".

"Yes, and how many sets of prints did you find on knife; the murder weapon?" Sly asks.

Merlin looks Sylvester square in the eyes before shifting his gaze to Guinevere. He swallows hard and then turns his gaze back to Sylvester.

"There were three sets of prints found on the kitchen knife".

"So you found _three_ _sets of fingerprints_ on the murder weapon?" Sly asks Merlin but addresses the jury "Whose fingerprints are they, Doctor?"

Merlin takes a deep breath before responding, "The fingerprints are a match to Tilly, Magnus and…"

"…And?"

"…and Mrs. Randall" Merlin barely gets out. Several members of the jury collectively gasp and turn to look at the elderly woman who is visibly shaken by the scrutiny.

"So is not possible that Mrs. Randall murdered Tilly Romney?"

"I would never!" Mrs. Randall croaks before she begins sobbing.

"Objection, your Honour! That's preposterous!" Gwen practically shouts. Ms. Lucas and Percival try their best to console the distressed senior woman.

"Objection overruled, Ms. Leodegrance. Please answer the question, Dr. Emyrs" the judge orders.

Merlin looks on horrifyingly at Mrs. Randall before answering, "Yes, it is possible, but-"

"No further questions, your Honour" Sly addresses Judge Firth.

"Your Honour, may I redirect?"

"Yes, please do Ms. Leodegrance". Gwen glares at Sly, who looks away in shame, as she approaches the witness stand.

"Doctor Emyrs, was there something more you wished to add?"

"Yes. I was going to say that while it may be possible that Mrs. Randall killed Tilly, the evidence disproves that".

"...How, so?"

"While I did find three sets of fingerprints on the murder weapon, I only found _two_ sets of DNA on the knife: from Tilly Romney's blood and Magnus Romney's blood".

"And what does that mean, Dr. Emyrs?"

"It means" Merlin turned a hard gaze to Magnus Romney "that the murderer stabbed the victim with such force, such velocity, that he cut himself in the process, mingling his blood with hers on the murder weapon. Mrs. Randall had no cuts or wounds on her hands on the night of the murder, so she _could not_ have killed Tilly".

Guinevere touches the back of Merlin's hand to bring his attention back to her and to calm his breathing, as his contemptuous gaze was still fixed on Magnus and his breathing had become labored as a result.

"Thank you, Doctor Emyrs".

The trial continues.

Mrs. Randall had finally calmed down enough to take the witness stand where she defended the reason for her fingerprints being on the kitchen knife. On days when Tilly was off from work and Magnus was away, Mrs. Randall would come over to make lunch and help prepare dinner for Tilly. Naturally, she used the knives, so that is why her fingerprints were present not just on the knives but all over the kitchen.

Guinevere calls Arthur to the stand.

"DI Pendragon, can you tell the court what you witnessed outside of the Romney residence on the night of Tilly's murder?"

"Objection, your Honour, leading the witness!"

"Ms. Leodegrance, this is my final warning".

"My apologies, your Honour, it will not happen again. I will rephrase the question". Guinevere takes a deep breath and asks again, "DI Pendragon, what did you observe on the night of Tilly's murder?"

"After assessing the crime scene I, and my partner, decided to leave the scene to drive back to the precinct and interrogate the suspect. At the top of the steps leading to the Romney residence, I observed a verbal exchange between you and the cold-blooded murderer".

Before Sylvester could object, the judge held his hand up to save him the effort, "Detective…mind your reach".

Arthur takes the hint, "My apologies, Judge Firth".

"You observed a verbal exchange between me and the defendant?"

"Yes, Mam".

"And what did you observe during this exchange?"

"The exchange was very brief. Magnus said, and I quote, 'Nice of you to pay a follow-up visit Ms. Leodegrance'. You asked Magnus, and still, I quote, 'What did you do to her?' to which he responded 'Nothing less than she deserved', end quote.

Sabrina sat in her seat shivering with rage, wishing for nothing more than to be locked in a room with Magnus Romney to give him nothing less than _he_ deserved. Her mother held her hand, even tighter, before bringing it up to her chest and holding it fast.

"Thank you, Detective Pendragon. …Your witness, Mr. Barnes".

"DI Pendragon, is it not true that you have romantic feelings for the Prosecutor?"

"Objection, Your Honour!" Guinevere is livid and the entire courtroom begins to buzz with whispers. Arthur wants to strangle Sly. He knew Sly played dirty, but this… More importantly, how did he know? Arthur made a mental note to have a serious talk with Morgana about her occasional slip-of-the-tongue; especially while at 'Gilli's'.

"Both attorneys approach the dais, now!" Judge Firth orders before placing his hand over his microphone.

Once Gwen and Sly approach the judge, he wastes no time "What is the meaning of this, Mr. Barnes?"

"Judge Firth, my question goes to the witness's credibility".

"Judge, this is absurd! Mr. Barnes' attempt to prolong the trial is almost laughable if it weren't such a personal attack on my character" Gwen looks over at Sly who can't even bring himself to face her because she's right… "I have never, _ever_, had a romantic relationship with Detective Pendragon; we aren't even friends! We have dined, once, together in my office with his sister, DS Pendragon, present as well and even then it was only for us to go over notes for this case".

"I have heard enough" Judge Firth concludes their brief impromptu meeting.

"The jury will disregard Mr. Barnes' last question and it will be stricken from the record. Mr. Barnes, if you pull a stunt like that again you will be in contempt of court, do I make myself clear?"

Sly's chest visibly drops in defeat, "Yes, Your Honour".

"Good. Do you have any further questions for this witness?"

"No, Your Honour".

"Very well then, you may step down now Detective. Thank you for your testimony".

"Your Honour" Guinevere asks "may we have a brief recess?"

"Yes. All parties of this trial are to reconvene in half an hour" the judge declares with a final bang of his gavel.

As Arthur leaves the witness stand he can't help but feel guilty for Guinevere being humiliated in front of the entire court like that. And while he wants nothing more than to clock Sylvester, he can't help but reflect on Guinevere's choice of words: 'we're not even friends!' she said, and though it was said in the heat of the moment and in defense of her professional integrity, Arthur can't help but to think that she's right, they aren't friends.

When Arthur joins Morgana and Merlin in the hall he cuts straight to the chase.

"Morgana, have you no sense of the word secrecy, or do you just genuinely get a kick out of making people miserable?" he hisses at his sister.

"Arthur, come on, that was uncalled for".

"Merlin, you have no idea how much Morgana talks-"

"It wasn't me, Arthur, I swear. …I would never toy with your feelings like that, honest". Morgana is near to tears and Arthur realizes that he was premature in his judgment. He takes her face in both his hands and kisses her forehead then folds her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, love, I know you wouldn't".

"Who else knows about your feelings for Gwen?" Merlin whispers to the two.

"No one" Arthur says "Just you; Morgana, Lance…" Arthur's eyes widen as realization dawns on him "…and Viviane. She must've told Sly to use it against Guinevere in court today".

"…Bitch!" Morgana hisses.

"I know Sly plays dirty, but he's been trying to 'clean up his act' so to speak".

"How would you know?" Arthur asks.

"I heard from Lance. He keeps me in the loop on things so I don't become a complete hermit while at the lab. Viviane must have something over Sly and now she's pulling his strings".

"You're just full of zingers today, aren't you _Merlin_?"

"…I get by" Merlin shrugs. The three share a quick laugh before realizing why they were there in court today and straighten up. Morgana suggests that they go and check to see if their meters need feeding. By the time they get back it's time for the trial to reconvene. All three resume their positions in the back pew beside Uncle Gaius and Aunt Alice, who had not strayed too far from the courtroom.

Again, the bailiff asks all parties to rise as the judge reentered the courtroom. Against his attorney's strong advisement, Magnus Romney decides to take the witness stand, surprising everyone in the room including the Judge. Gwen, however, has no objections to Sylvester adding a witness to the docket with no prior notice given to her: 'The narcissists always put the final nail in their coffins in the end' Gwen thinks to herself. Magnus Romney is sworn in and takes the witness stand. Sabrina stares him down waiting for him to look her way.

"Mr. Romney, did you kill you wife?" Sylvester asks straightaway.

With the deserted look still in his eyes, he answers "Yes. …But I didn't mean to do it".

"Then why did you do it?"

"Tilly said she wanted a divorce, said she wanted to leave me and go back to her Mum…" Magnus turns his head and sees Ms. Lucas sitting right behind the Prosecution bench and he has no reaction at all. But when his eyes land on Sabrina's, he recedes in his seat; almost as if startled. Then slowly, the life comes back to his eyes, the corners of his lips start to twitch and he leans forward in his seat trying to get a better view of her. Sabrina obliges him by following his lead and leaning forward in her seat, too, and stares her twin sister's murderer down.

"…and then I lost it; just snapped, and then I blacked out" he says continuing to stare at Sabrina until his attorney follows his gaze and stands in his view "When I finally came to, I was in the back of a police car and I had no idea what had happened or why I was there… They told me I killed my wife and now…I'm here".

"Are you saying that you don't recall the events of the night your wife was murdered, that you suffered a mental breakdown and then suffered amnesia?"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying".

"No further questions, Your Honour" Sly turns to Gwen "Your witness, Ms. Leodegrance". Elyan and Gwaine share a confused look. …Sly doesn't seem to be defending his client as an attorney should. The line of questioning is off, the lack of witnesses; not even a psychologist to confirm Magnus' supposed 'mental breakdown' and 'amnesia' claims. Had he been his client, Elyan would have never allowed Magnus to take the stand with the mountain of evidence that the Prosecution has against him. It's almost like Sylvester is hanging his client out to dry.

"Mr. Romney" Gwen asks "did you kill Tilly Romney?"

Magnus' lips twitch again before he responds, "Yes".

"And how would you know that if 'blacked out', as you said?"

"The coppers keep telling me I did it, so I must have".

"Yes, but just a moment ago you said, and I quote, 'But I didn't mean to do it', did you not?"

"I didn't; I would never kill my wife".

"So which is it Mr. Romney: you didn't mean to kill your wife? Or you don't remember killing your wife?"

"I don't remember, I don't remember anything that night".

"Then why do you remember Tilly telling you that she wanted a divorce and that she planned on going to stay with her Mum?"

"Maybe she mentioned it the night before and my brain's confusing it with that night". Gwen grasps onto this statement and continues to question Magnus.

"Are you saying that Tilly may have mentioned her plans for divorce the night _before_ you murdered her?"

"Objection!" the defense attorney calls out.

"Objection overruled! Answer the question, Mr. Romney".

"I don't remember" Magnus answer's with his nostrils flaring.

"So you don't remember attacking your wife in the bathroom?"

"No".

"You don't remember dragging her out into the living room and sitting on her chest as you pummeled her face?"

"No".

"You don't remember going into the kitchen that night and taking a butcher's knife and stabbing your wife repeatedly as she lay there bleeding to death, and when you finally killed her you went to your car to enjoy one last drink before-"

Magnus, breathing heavily, abruptly stands and slams his shackled hands down onto the wooden guardrail before him "It wasn't a drink it was a cig! Last cig in the box, it was!"

Ms. Lucas and Mrs. Randall are holding one another's hands so tightly that they're ready to meld into each other, as they shed silent tears. Sabrina allows a small smile to form on her lips while Gwaine, Mona and Elyan hold hands and nod their satisfaction. In the back pew, Alice grabs onto Gaius' elbow and holds firm as the two detectives and the medical examiner try to contain their own elation. Everyone in the courtroom is expressing their relief and joy as best and polite as they know how at the murderer's confession.

Guinevere remains poised and continues.

"It seems that you remember something about that night after all, Mr. Romney".

At last, the arrogance; the nonchalance, the evil that was vacant in his eyes return onto Magnus once more, ever present as they were the night that he killed Tilly, as a wicked grin spreads across his face.

"Did you kill Tilly Romney?" Gwen asks one last time.

"Yeah, I killed her".

"Why did you murder Tilly?"

"Like I said before, Ms. Leodegrance, it was no less than she deserved. I found out she was messing around on me. 'Jonah', 'Jonah' she would moan in her sleep. I thought it was just a character from one of those stupid books she's always reading. And then I find out she increases the pay out on her life insurance policy leaving _Jonah_ as her beneficiary, 'so there's no way he's just a character' I say's to myself 'this guy's real!' Then she tells me she wants a divorce, like I'm just going to let her get away. I respect my marriage vows, Ms. Leodegrance, when I said 'I do' I meant it. Tilly was my property and there was no way I was 'going to let some other man have her _and_ all of that money too. In the end I didn't care about the money. …She had to learn a lesson".

After the confession he stood there with a satisfied grin on his face as Gwen stood stark-still with unshed tears in her eyes.

No one expected that confession. Even the defendant's own attorney looked at him with silent rage.

The judge instructs for the two bailiff escorts to bring the prisoner back to the Defendant's table so that he can look him square in the eye as he delivers him his sentence.

"Never, in all my decades of serving the court and the city of Albion, have I ever felt so justified, so unequivocally justified, in serving a guilty verdict. Words cannot explain the passion with which I want you to meet the Maker so that He can judge you as He deems fit. But until that day comes, I will be your judge and jury, and I rule that you serve seventy five years to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Tilly Romney: A daughter, a sister, and though you did not deserve to be her partner, a wife" Judge Firth bangs his gavel and finalizes Magnus' prison sentence. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, thank you for your service here today, you are now dismissed".

Guinevere blinks away the unshed tears and finds her voice, "Your Honour, please, before you dismiss the court I would like everyone to know just exactly who Jonah is".

Judge Firth finds he is curious, and as Guinevere never got the chance to give her closing statement, he allows the attorney's final words.

"You may proceed, Ms. Leodegrance".

Guinevere looks over to Ms. Lucas, Sabrina and Mrs. Randall and nods.

"Jonah _was_ the other man in Tilly's life. And in a very short time, he captured her heart. Tilly wanted so badly to run away and start a new life with him; though not in the way that Magnus presumed. Tilly was not only a daughter, a sister and a wife" Guinevere turns around to face Magnus head-on "she was a mother too. Jonah is not Tilly's lover, Magnus, she is Tilly's son, _your_ son" Guinevere watched in satisfaction as the colour slowly drained from Magnus' face "The son that she carried in her womb, the son that she carried while _you_ carried on abusing her, the son that she was so afraid to bring into her painful, abusive, loveless environment that she lied to you and said that she miscarried, the son that was being raised just across the street from you as you continued to beat his mother and eventually murdering her. Jonah, named after Tilly's mother, Joan. And by God he is the son that you will never lay your eyes, ears, lips _or_ hands upon".


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: To all the new readers, Welcome. It's a pleasure to have you.**

**To those of you who have been attending since day one...no need to knock; my door's always open: Just come right in.**

**As always, refreshments will be served toward the end. **

**...Okay, not _really_; unfortunately :( But I _wish_ I could bake you all some cookies. Who knows, maybe one day :) ?**

**For the time being, please enjoy reading.**

* * *

><p>"Gwen, you were amazing in there!"<p>

"_Amazing_- she was bloody brilliant!"

"I know what I want to be when I grow up".

"And what's that, love?"

"…A Guinevere".

"Don't you mean a lawyer?"

"No, I mean a Guinevere. Brilliant as our girl was in that courtroom they might as well just go on and name the profession after her" Mona grins confidently.

"Aye!"

"Oh, behave!" Gwen playfully scolds her friends. But truth be told she is just as happy as they are for winning a guilty verdict at court today: Not only a guilty verdict, but an actual _confession_ of guilt. Gwen is also happy that her friends chose not to broach the subject of Magnus Romney's final words. But she can see it in Elyan's eyes that he is worried…

* * *

><p>…Morgana can see it in Arthur's eyes that he is worried. She has no doubt that his mind is on Gwen.<p>

_The bailiffs begin to escort Magnus out of the courtroom but he struggles with them, digging his heels and taking advantage of the shackles around his ankles to weigh him down further._

"…_My boy…My son. …I have a son" he utters in disbelief and turns to Guinevere, screaming at her,_

"_You know where he is! You tell me where he is, you bitch! I have the right to know; he's mine! I'm his father!"_

"_Bailiffs remove this ingrate from my courtroom!" the judge orders the court officers._

_Sabrina, having remained calm long enough, rises to her feet and stares Magnus squarely in the eyes to address him. "He's beautiful. He looks just like his mother- nothing like you, thank God. You will never see him. You will never know him. You will remain a mystery to Jonah- I will spend every last day of my life making sure of that"._

_Magnus nods his head, a sick, sadistic smile twisting his face, "I will. I will have my boy, dear sister in-law". Then he turns his head, still struggling with the bailiffs, to face Guinevere, glaring menacingly at the attorney._

"_And you…you bitch! I will have _you_… Don't sleep too easily, Ms. Leodegrance. You haven't seen the last of me". With that Magnus stops his struggling and resisting and allows the bailiffs to take him away and back to the awaiting prison van, all the while his icy stare remains glued on Guinevere._

_By this time Arthur and Morgana had moved from the back pew of the courtroom to the front to help assist with the difficult prisoner. Initially Magnus's words sent chills of fear down Guinevere's spine, but the professional attorney and strong-willed woman within her would not allow her to show outwardly how Magnus's threat affected her._

"_His final words as a free man…You would think that he'd be more original!" Gwen jokes._

_Morgana, Mona and Gwaine laugh quietly before they escort Mrs. Randall, Ms. Lucas, Sabrina and Matthew out of the courtroom. Elyan and Arthur, however, are not so convinced by Gwen's calm, teasing demeanor. Elyan, knowing his sister does not like being worried about, decides he will worry about her later in private before exiting the courtroom. Arthur, on the other hand, can't afford the luxury of not worrying._

"_Guinevere, Magnus blatantly threatened you in a courtroom full of people. I think you should take it more seriously"._

"_Arthur he'll be in prison for the next seventy five years to life. What have I to worry about?" Gwen swats at the air annoyingly._

"_What have you to worry about?! How many prisoners are you responsible for getting convicted and sent to Albion Penitentiary; some of whom may be in Magnus Romney's cell block? How many of them do you think have a score to settle with you? Have you even considered that?"_

_Guinevere stops packing and looks up from her briefcase. She can see the concern, the fear and something else; she's not sure what, in Arthur's eyes._

"_Arthur…"_

"_You will have police protection at all times" Arthur cuts her off "I will see to it"._

"_Arthur-"_

"_A threat is a threat, Guinevere. As a detective, and officer of the law, I must take his threat seriously and act accordingly"._

"_-then it is Jonah; Mrs. Randall, Ms. Lucas and Sabrina that you should be protecting. Magnus was only trying to scare me. If anyone is in any real danger, it is Jonah"._

_Guinevere is right, Arthur realizes. But he also refuses to lax his stance on her safety. "I agree; Tilly's family will be protected. But so will you"._

_Guinevere takes a deep breath before responding. "Arthur I know you mean well and that you are just being thorough. But I am perfectly capable of caring for myself. I am not your concern, and I don't need your protection"._

_Guinevere finishes packing her briefcase, zips it close and stands straight; her portfolio held firmly by her side, her heels together, and she tucks a stray curl behind her ear. "Goodbye, Arthur" she says before walking around him to the back doors and exits the courtroom leaving a twice dejected Arthur behind._

* * *

><p>"Arthur you don't have to worry about Gwen; she's tough as nails. She'll be fine" Morgana reassures her brother from the passenger's seat.<p>

"Morgana I want you to call Leon and have him round up only his best officers" Arthur ignores his sister's reassurance "He is to assign two plain-clothes coppers in an unmarked vehicle to park outside of Guinevere's home and another outside of her place of work at all times; Mrs. Randall, Ms. Lucas and Sabrina are to have the same protection" Arthur instructs as he drives them back to the precinct.

"And as soon as you're finished, please phone Lance for me. …I have a favor I need to ask him".

* * *

><p>As soon as Gwen, Elyan, Gwaine and Mona arrive back to the firm they resume the business day as usual: Mona plays the voicemails left while they were away and returns phone calls, as well as takes messages for the three attorneys, while the attorneys in question retreat to their offices to prepare for their next cases.<p>

Gwen went through a series of emotions in the closing moments, as well as the events immediately after, Tilly's murder trial: She was thrilled when Judge Firth sentenced Magnus to prison for seventy five years to life without the possibility of parole; she was a bit shaken when Magnus threatened her; but most of all she was annoyed at Detective Pendragon's suggestion- _insistence_- that she have a protective detail; even more so annoyed with how upset _he_ was by the murderer's threat.

"Why should he care?" Gwen asks herself as she empty's and rummages through the contents of her handbag onto her desk. "I am more than capable of looking after myself- why should he care?!" she huffs in frustration. "Where is it?!" she demands throwing her hands into the air. Gwen checks the compartments of her bag once more before a knock at her door interrupts her search.

"Who's there?" she snaps.

"It's me; El".

"Come in, Elyan" Gwen sighs resignedly before taking a seat behind her desk. Elyan enters the office, takes one look at his sister and her handbag tossed to the floor at corner by her closet; the strewed contents of her bag atop her desk; and automatically knows to approach with caution.

"What's wrong, Gwennie?" he asks gently as he takes a seat before her desk "You're not worried about what that…_wife- killer_ said in court today, are you?" Elyan asks with a slight grimace. Magnus Romney's threat to his sister still resonates in his mind. "He'd have to get through me first" he says solemnly. Gwen looks at her brother and allows a small smile to form her lips.

"If I'm honest, his threat _did_ scare me a bit. …But I'm more worried about Jonah".

"He'll be just fine. Judging from the way Sabrina glared at Magnus during the trial" Elyan slowly shakes his head "…her glare _alone_ would scare off any would-be attacker against Jonah". Gwen chuckles briefly at the image that forms in her mind of a tall, grizzly kidnapper cowering and running away under Sabrina Lucas- Scott's intense gaze.

"You're right" she finally answers.

"Do you remember" Elyan starts as he leans forward on Gwen's desk so that she can hear him better "when we were little and we would go to the market in town with Mum, and how you were always afraid to go because we had to walk across Mr. Townsend's estate, and that meant that we had to walk across the front yard where he kept his Saint Bernard?".

Gwen shrinks back visibly in her chair and wrinkles her nose in disgust "How could I forget? I hated that dog" she says.

"You were _terrified_ of Marble!" Elyan corrects her biting back the laugh that still remained in his eyes.

"Marble" Gwen huffs "What a _stupid_ name for a Saint Bernard- _Cujo_ would have been more apt" she retorts. Elyan doesn't deny his laughter this time, laughing boisterously; causing his sister to join in, as he nods his head in agreement.

He resumes "I think Marble looked forward to you crossing past Mr. Townsend's yard; dogs being able to sense fear and all, even though you tried not to let his size or his bark scare you".

"_Very brave_ of me at just eight years old" Gwen crosses her arms before her chest raising her chin a little higher.

"Indeed. Only it was not working. So after giving you a bit of independence; letting you figure something out and trying it for yourself, Mum finally intervened" Guinevere smiles at the mention of their mother and at how much Elyan remembered being only four years old at the time. "As we walked pass Mr. Townsend's yard Marble pounced on the gate, but Mum was ready for him. She quickly pulled you over to her right where I was already tightly clutching onto her hand; because let's face it, _I_ was petrified of Marble too-".

"I knew that" Gwen cuts in smiling fondly at her brother "That is why I would always let _you_ walk on Mum's right side to the market and then on her left side on our way back home. You may be bigger than me _now_, El, but I was bigger _than_; not to mention your older sister. As much as Marble put the fear of God in me" Gwen pauses and mumbles something that sounds like 'wretched dog' under her breath causing Elyan to chuckle "I would have rather faced that…that…_beast_, than to have my wee baby brother frightened for his life" Gwen can't resist the sudden urge that overcomes her as she reaches over her desk and nostalgically pinches Elyan's cheeks "You were so cute at that age" she gushes.

Elyan blushes slightly at his sister's marveling than scoffs, feigning hurt "I'm _still_ cute, thank you".

"Yes you are" Gwen agrees "And handsome too" she says before giving him a quick peck on the nose and reaching back to resume her seat.

"Thank you" Elyan beams "Now can I finish, please?"

"Okay; sorry. Please finish" Gwen urges, than "zips" her mouth shut.

"Where was I…oh yes, Mum quickly pulled you over to her right side to stand by me and then she fixed Marble with the most determined, unwavering glare; daring him to bark once more. …He never did. In fact Marble never barked at us again after that day whenever we walked past Mr. Townsend's estate, all because of Mum's 'Don't Mess With My Cubs', glare as she called it" Elyan concludes looking off with a distant smile and unshed tears.

"…Even after she died…and Lance's Mum continued to take us to the market, Marble would never bark at us. I like to think Mum continued to fix him with her 'Don't Mess With My Cubs' glare even beyond her grave" Elyan laughs lightly turning his attention to Gwen once more, allowing a few tears to reach his lips before dipping his head down. Gwen rises from her chair and walks around her desk to wrap Elyan tightly in her arms as the siblings cry softly together…just as they did the week after her tenth birthday.

* * *

><p>When Arthur and Morgana arrive back at the precinct they wait to board the next available lift just as Viviane exits. The latter looks at the detectives feigning surprise bringing her hand to her chest. "Arthur, Morgana what are you two doing here?"<p>

Morgana fixes her boss's daughter with a look as sweet as vinegar before calmly responding through clenched teeth "We work here, you dimwit". Viviane takes the remark with a grain of salt and smiles brightly at the raven-haired female detective.

"No need to be hostile, Morgana; although _I'm sure_ you're trying your best" Viviane taunts and then turns to Arthur "I know that you two _work here_" she emphasizes the last two words taunting Morgana further "I was just wondering what you're doing back here so early; weren't you due to testify in court today?" she asks eyeing Arthur cunningly. Arthur eyes his former fiancée shrewdly; narrowing his eyes so acutely that they begin to ache.

"Why should my, or my sister's, whereabouts concern you, Viviane?" he asks bitterly.

"I was just-"

"What!" Arthur hastily cuts her off "Curious? Please" he scoffs "Your act is as tired as you are, Viviane". He moves closer to the attorney bending down to speak into her ear so the surrounding officers and precinct occupants don't overhear him "I know what you did- what you _tried_ to do- today" when Viviane gasps Arthur grins and continues "It didn't work. Even in your hour of craftiness, manipulation; and quite frankly, desperation. Even in your absence you failed to remember one thing…" Arthur pulls away to look her in the eyes as he speaks the last words "…Guinevere is just as determined as you are" he says with a smile in his eyes "Only her determination is honest: her determination put a murderer in prison; _her_ determination got justice for the victim's family. Guinevere's determination leaves me in _awe_" Morgana smiled as Viviane's face deflated "Whereas _your_ determination, Viviane…leaves me in _repugnance_".

Arthur was not quick enough to avoid the stinging hand landing across the left plane of his face as Viviane struck him.

"How dare you talk to me that way, Arthur Pendragon!" she shouts loud enough to call the attention of all those within earshot that Arthur so carefully avoided while addressing her.

"There's nothing to witness here" Morgana shouts getting the growing crowd's attention "Get back to work!" They didn't need to be told twice as foot traffic and previous tasks resumed once more.

Viviane's breath is ragged as her chest rises and falls in anger and frustration. "What is it? Eh? Tell me, _what_ is it? What is it that you see in that…_plain_ woman, Arthur?"

Arthur pauses to look at Viviane, the woman that he once cared for; deeply, and then he smiles fondly. Viviane's eyes soften at Arthur's smile, letting her guard down long enough for him to reach up and brush her fringe of hair away from her eyes "A beauty so pure; so true, that not even _your_ money can buy".

With his hand now back at his side, the edge now returned to his voice and the coldness in his eyes once more, Arthur and his sister enter the lift and he bids her farewell "Go home, Viviane".

When Arthur and Morgana reach their floor she goes straight to her desk; smiling and all the while thinking of just how much Arthur cares for Guinevere, more importantly, just how little he now cares for Viviane: that bit making her smile even wider. Arthur goes straight to the computer analysis lab to see Lance. He knocks on the glass window to get the computer analyst's attention as the latter opens the door to let him in.

"I just wanted to come and say thank you, mate" Arthur squeezes his friend's shoulder warmly and shuts the door behind him "I know it was a tight spot I put you in; asking you to tap into Viviane's mobile to read her text messages to Sly-"

"I skimmed past anything that would make me lose my lunch- I assure you" Lance held his hands up in defense, grimacing at the thought of reading any details of Viviane's sex life.

"-but it was necessary. I had to know how he discovered my feelings for Guinevere".

"No, no, I understand, Arthur. But believe me, mate, I would not have done it; even if you are my mate" Lance looks over his shoulder toward the, already shut, door "Imagine the world of trouble; not to mention _pain_, I'd be in if the Chief discovered I hacked into his _little princess'_ mobile" Lance slowly ran his right thumb across his throat indicating to Arthur precisely what he meant as the latter nodded his understanding. "It wasn't until you told me _why_ Viviane texted to Sly how you feel about Gwen and how she had him use it against the both of you in court today that made the decision all the more easier to make. Getting a rise out of your ex is one thing, but jeopardizing both your and Gwen's careers, more importantly, jeopardizing a guilty verdict for a _murderer_- just to spite you…That's just callus".

Arthur nods his accordance "That's just Viviane… Look, again, thank you, mate. I'm in your debt".

Lance nods his head in the positive "But we'll discuss that when the time comes. For now" he claps the detective on the shoulder and guides him to the door "you and Guinevere are officially off the case and no longer working together" Lance opens the lab's door "I think it's about time that _she know_ how you feel about her" he finishes with a wink.

Arthur reaches into his pocket and his fingers touch Guinevere's I.D. bracelet. He grins at Lance and nods affirmatively "You're right. I'm going to finish up here and then I'll stop by her firm".

"That 'a boy" Lance grins.

Arthur laughs freely as he makes his way down the hall and to his desk "I'll let you know how it goes" he looks back and calls out to Lance.

"No need; I'll just hack into your mobiles" the computer analyst calls back before waving and retreating into the lab and shutting its door laughing all the while he hears the empty threats that Arthur makes on his life.

* * *

><p>Guinevere searched her coat; every compartment of her desk, her closet- her entire office. She then decided to check her handbag again. But all to no avail. She could not find her I.D. bracelet anywhere. It was the first gift that her mother had given her; although she was just an infant and could not appreciate it at the time, she had come to love it the most of all the gifts her Mum had gifted her. And she has lost it. Elyan still has his: He keeps it in a safety deposit box, along with other valuables and mementos that their parents had given him over the years, at his bank. He had advised Gwen on many occasions to just keep hers alongside his at the bank, but she had always refused; always wanting to keep a piece of their mother with her close by at all times. And now she has lost it. The knock at Guinevere's door makes her feel all the more guilty because she knows exactly who it is. Luckily for her Elyan was never the type to taunt, 'I told you so!' nor would he choose now to do so. But still, Gwen feels guilty; shattered and irresponsible.<p>

He knocks a little harder this time. "Elyan, I just know" Gwen runs both hands through her curls nervously as she walks toward her door "that you're going to be mad at me; and you have every right to be… But have mercy, El, it's been a rough day" Gwen calls out to the door. She takes a deep breath and ready's herself for her confession, and Elyan's pending rant, as she places her hand on the knob and starts to open the door "El, I can't find my bracelet any-" the last word hitches in Gwen's throat as the open door reveals just who is standing on the other side.

"…Arthur? What are you doing here?"

The sight of a wide-eyed, barefoot Guinevere with tousled hair and a naked, freckled, face renders the detective momentarily speechless as he stands, dumbfounded, in her doorway. Eventually he finds his voice.

"I…I…There's something I have for you, Guinevere".


	17. Chapter 17

Guinevere carefully eyes the man standing in her doorway smiling nervously at her; his hands tucked away in his trench coat's pockets. 'He looks good in camel' she thinks flippantly with a tilt of her brow. 'Although not as good as he looks in crimson' her mind observes once more, viewing the red jumper the open trench coat provides. 'It brings out the rose of his cheeks and the deep tint of his lips'. Gwen unknowingly licks her own lips at the thought. As she does so, she sees the rose of Arthur's cheeks grow deeper, almost as if the inanimate jumper heard her thoughts; agreed with her, and then sent a signal to its occupant's face. Gwen bites back a smile than slightly shakes her head to snap out of her reverie.

"Arthur what are you doing here?" she finally asks "No- wait. I already asked you that" Gwen backpedals. The sight of the man who has been assaulting her thoughts all afternoon is now standing in her office's doorway, causing her to fluster. "You said you have something for me?"

Arthur politely clears his throat "Yes-"

"Let me guess" Gwen halts him with a brisk raise of her hand "…A pocket knife? No- a pair of nun chucks! No…no. Too impractical" Gwen knots her brow, biting her lower lip and bringing her thumb and forefinger to her chin in concentration. "Ooh! I know what it is!" she feigns excitement and declares triumphantly, "A small firearm!"

Arthur looks on perplexed, then horrified, before he settles on embarrassment, a twinge of annoyance and slight resentment, when he realizes that Guinevere is taking the mickey out of him 'Great! She hasn't even _spent a day_ in Morgana or Merlin's company yet, and already she's quite the ace at their favourite past time' he thinks.

Arthur's face must mirror his thoughts.

"Oh, don't you give me that pout!" Gwen scolds the broad shouldered, broad chested, solid detective who towers at least six inches over her petite frame "It may work on lesser women" she says as she turns around and walks back into her office motioning for Arthur to follow and to shut the door behind him "But it won't work on me" 'I'm _determined_ to remain immune to that pout' she adds mentally. Gwen reaches her desk and turns around, eyes narrowed with an accusatory finger aimed at the detective "And _don't for a moment_ think that I haven't noticed those two coppers parked in that unmarked vehicle outside and down the street, either". Arthur's eyes quickly go wide as his mouth gapes open in disbelief before he ducks his head down sheepishly. He had been caught. But that should not have come as a surprise to him. 'She's sharp' he thinks '_Of course_ she knows what an undercover copper looks like' Arthur mentally kicks himself.

Gwen looks on feeling a twinge of guilt for "exposing his secret", so-to-speak. What harm would it have done to let him think that his efforts were making a difference?

She sighs.

"Arthur, really" Gwen's speaks softer this time.

'I wonder if she knows that her voice sounds like sandalwood: So smoky; so sweet; so woodsy' Arthur ponders as he inhales deeply and fights his eyes from fluttering shut.

"I don't need the surveillance. Having them around will just make me _feel_ as if I'm in danger: I'll start to look over my shoulder at the slightest sound; I'll start to quicken my pace at every shadow cast by the sun or a streetlamp. …Eventually their presence will just drive me mad!" Gwen exaggerates, tugging at the roots of her locks, comically widening her eyes and biting down on her bottom lip earning her an easy laugh from her one man- audience.

"Guinevere" Arthur says once the attorney's little tirade is over "I assure you, you won't go mad".

"And how can you be so sure?" she quips.

'Because I'd sooner _kill Magnus_ before it ever came to that'. Arthur has to bite down on the insides of his cheeks fairly hard to keep him from voicing this thought out loud.

"Because I trained those two constables myself… Trust me, Guinevere. You're in very capable hands" 'Not as capable as mine' he adds mentally "With them your safety won't be in question".

"I'm sure they are none too happy with this extra task" Gwen presumes.

Arthur shakes his head in the negative and chuckles lightly, impressed by her correct presumption. The two constables in question had originally signed on to train for the S.W.A.T team when Leon chose them to survey Gwen's place of work instead. Suffice to say that they were none too pleased about the change in plan.

"But the extra pay they'll receive will help brighten their mood" he teases "Besides, they need the field experience".

"Arthur, you really didn't have to assign them here; Elyan and Gwaine are _more_ _than_ able to keep me, and Mona, safe: They spar regularly at the gym, you know.

Arthur does know as he's seen the two there a few times in passing.

"Guinevere, I'm just doing my job".

"I think you're doing more than your job, Arthur" Gwen looks him straight in the eyes almost daring him to deny the truth. But his locked gaze never falters. And for a moment, Gwen sees that…_something_ there again.

"Then…just humour me" he nearly pleads.

'He's not going to make this easy for me' Gwen thinks. "And what of Mrs. Randall, Jonah, and the Lucas'?" she asks instead.

"They're under surveillance as we speak" Arthur nods firmly and then takes a moment to look around Guinevere's office. He frowns at the files and various items strewn across her desk, the haphazard state of her closet, before his eyes land back on her "Uh, Guinevere? Did I come at a bad time?" the detective asks after his quick assessment.

Guinevere raises an eyebrow and then looks around at the mess she made of her, otherwise meticulously kept, office. She groans inwardly. "Do forgive the state of my space, Arthur" she apologizes "I was looking for something rather important that I've misplaced". Gwen catches sight of her reflection in the mirror sat atop her desk and blushes from embarrassment when she sees her wild hair, un-tucked, slightly un-buttoned blouse and her completely bare face. She removed and hadn't bothered to re-apply her makeup earlier that afternoon after smudging it while she and Elyan sat in her office crying over their Mum. They both shared a few more happy memories and laughter before giving their faces a splash of cold water; hugging one another warmly and going back to their respective tasks.

Gwen blushes further when she looks down to find her stocking clad, shoeless feet staring back up at her. She looks up at Arthur and smiles apologetically.

"Please excuse my appearance. God, a mess I must look" she moans "I wasn't expecting any visitors" Gwen looks off to her left toward her bathroom door and points to it while looking back at Arthur "If you'll excuse, I'll be just a moment". She grabs her compact and lip stain off of her desk and turns around to head off to the bathroom, when Arthur's hand gripped firmly in the nook of her elbow halts her step. She turns to look down his hand and then up at him, slightly startled. Not so much at the audacity of his action, but by the current of warmth is sent up her arm, to her face…to other places.

"Guinevere, you look fine" Arthur snaps her out of her trance. "No need to '_tidy up_' as Morgana would say, on my behalf". The rise in octave in Arthur's voice when he said 'tidy up', imitating his sister, made Gwen laugh easily.

"I'm afraid Mona would not share your views. She would scold me for not 'having my face on'; especially in a male's presence".

Arthur takes his time marveling at Guinevere's freckles and beauty marks; the two adorning the corner of her upper and bottom lip capturing the breadth of his attention "I prefer _this_ face" he speaks honestly while gazing into her earthen orbs. Arthur feels himself being pulled into Guinevere's expressive and open gaze; her slightly parted, lush lips weren't helping matters either. He gently releases her elbow and takes a step back, clearing his throat.

"Of course it's entirely your decision whether or not you choose to hide your face" he shrugs casually.

Gwen scoffs at this.

"Cosmetics are not used to _hide_ _one's_ _face_, as you presume. They are used to _accentuate_ one's features".

"Well in that case you _truly_ don't need them" Arthur concludes.

Guinevere doesn't know whether to smile or laugh. So she does both; in a, 'Oh stop- you're just saying that' sort of way.

An awkward silence ensues where both Guinevere and Arthur look to their feet for the next conversation starter.

"You said you have something for me?" "You said you were looking for something?" the suddenly shy pair looks up from the ground to ask at the same time. The attorney and detective both laugh at their awkwardness before they both wait patiently for the other to speak first.

"No, ladies first" Arthur beckons to Guinevere "You said you were looking for something…"

The detective knows exactly what the curly haired attorney is looking for. He's just buying more time to have a reason to be in her presence before handing the I.D. bracelet back to its beautiful owner. Arthur never intended to hold onto the engraved piece jewelry for four months…But he just never found an appropriate moment, as their energies and focus was solely dedicated to Tilly's murder and subsequent justice, to return the wristlet to Guinevere. Or maybe Morgana was right…Maybe Arthur had, subconsciously, held onto Gwen's bracelet in the hopes that she would come to him to claim it. Either way, the reunion between her and her keepsake has been long overdue.

Gwen looks around her office and the warzone she's created in her efforts to find it. "…Yes. I've been looking all afternoon for my Mum's I.D. bracelet". She catches Arthur's eye while scanning the room "Well, it's not my _Mum's_ bracelet. It's mine. She gave it to me when I was just a newborn. I've long since outgrown it, but I carry it with me anyway, you know…so she's close" she speaks softly almost on the verge of tears. But she swallows the lump in her throat.

Arthur closes his eyes and bows his head in empathy and in regret. If only he'd returned the bracelet the day he found it he may have spared Guinevere this pain.

"I don't even know when, or where, I've misplaced it" Gwen brings her hands to the sides of her temples and shakes her head in despair.

"Guinevere…"

"Elyan is going to kill me. He's _always_ told me to keep it somewhere safe. I thought; who else would guard it better than me? _I'm_ its keeper- she was _my mother_!" Gwen bangs her desk heavily in frustration hurting her hand in the process. She hisses and grits her teeth in pain and brings her hand to her chest alerting Arthur.

"Let me look at it" he says closing the short distance between them as he reaches for her small wrist. Gwen hesitates at first then reluctantly draws her hand away from her chest. Arthur takes it gently into his hands and examines it carefully. He's learned a few tips from Merlin over the years on how to spot fractures, sprains and other injuries to the human body. Guinevere looks down at the face of her impromptu doctor as he's perched on the edge of her desk and tending to her hand. The way that his brow knots in concentration and how his pout unintentionally deepens from focus brings a small smile to her face, and Gwen is tempted to reach out and stroke his cheek to release his tension. Gwen also sees how Arthur's hand nearly engulfs hers, but his touch is so thoughtful and surprisingly gentle.

His touch makes her feel…like she's cared for.

Arthur finishes observing Gwen's hand. She suffers no broken bones or sprains from her attack on the desk. But the growing redness is an indicator that there will be tenderness and slight swelling.

"Nothing's broken" Arthur reassures his patient as he raises his head to find Guinevere staring at him, searching him almost. "But…uh…if you have a small towel or kerchief" he speaks as he slowly rises from the edge of the desk, Guinevere's eyes locked on his the entire time "I can run it under cold water to wrap around your wrist. It will help keep the swelling down in the meantime until you can get some ice". Arthur is standing at his full height now and he, once again, has the aerial view of Guinevere. As he gazes down at her face he realizes that it looks just as lovely from any angle; whether she's positioned above him, or he above her.

Gwen blinks rapidly a few times and lightly shakes her head "Is it sprained?" she asks suddenly.

"…Pardon?" Arthur asks caught off guard.

"My wrist" Gwen holds it up slightly while supporting it in her other hand "You said it isn't broken. Is it sprained?"

"No, you would have to twist it for it to be sprained. It's just sore- painfully so, I presume. You shouldn't have attacked your desk like that, Guinevere. Which is a shame really, you two seemed to be getting on so well" Arthur says seriously and much to the delight of his ears, Guinevere laughs. When she winces again he mentions the cold towel once more.

"A kerchief won't be necessary" Gwen shakes her head.

"Guinevere, it will help".

"I don't need it. An icepack would be better. I keep some handy in my draw". When Arthur gives Guinevere a questioning look she responds "…My furniture and I _don't_ always get on so well" Arthur laughs at her use of his previous comparison.

"Where are they?" Arthur moves to the front of her desk to retrieve the icepack.

"The top shelf on the left". Arthur retrieves the cold compress and follows its instructions before resuming his seat on the edge of Guinevere's desk to carefully apply it to her wrist. He smiles inwardly when she does not refuse his hand. His smile grows wider when Guinevere takes a step closer between his parted knees so he can better apply pressure to her wrist.

"Is that better?" Arthur asks trying not to smile like a schoolboy on holiday at the close proximity between him and the woman he's been enamored with for months now. Instead he focuses on the cold compress and the pressure his hand is applying to Guinevere's wrist.

"Much better, thank you" Gwen says drowsily trying to focus on the cool sensation that the icepack is providing her wrist and not the warm sensation that Arthur is providing her…

"Guinevere?" Arthur asks after a moment.

"…Hmm?" she replies sleepily.

Arthur looks at the beautiful, powerful attorney standing just inches away from him and sees her struggling to keep her eyelids from closing. He smiles remembering how strong; how resilient, how sharp she was in court today, and he knows from experience that it takes a lot of sleepless nights to be that sharp... Guinevere gave Tilly her all and in the process, left nothing for herself. Arthur continues to marvel at her as she loses her battle with her eyelids. She has literally dedicated herself to the point of exhaustion. It is in this moment, selfish as it may seem, that Arthur realizes he couldn't be more in love with Guinevere if he tried.

"Guinevere?" he calls softly to her as he places his right hand on her lower back and gently guides her toward him.

"…Hmm?" she answers, her eyes closed but she's not yet fully asleep.

"You look tired" he speaks softly still, careful not to wake her as he carefully removes the icepack and places it on the desk behind him.

"You should _never_ say that to a woman, Arthur" she answers sleepily but still with enough sass to make him smile.

"You're right. I apologize. You look like you could use a little nap" he corrects himself now having guided her to sit as comfortably as her injured wrist would allow onto his lap.

"Couldn't we all?" Gwen's husky voice is just above a whisper as she falls deeper into sleep with her head rested on Arthur's chest.

"Some more than others" he whispers into her ear as he cradles her, mindful of her wrist, softly against his firm body.

After a few minutes pass by Arthur can hear her gentle snores. But he calls softly into her ear just to be sure.

"Guinevere?"

When she doesn't respond after a few more calls he knows that she has completely fallen asleep. He looks down at her face and notes how serene and peaceful she looks. He stares at her for a while trying to commit the way her full lashes fan the peaks of her cheeks; the way her nose twitches ever so often, the small keyhole opening between her parted lips and the way her skin glows, all to memory before he sighs deeply knowing that this bliss will last only momentarily.

But Arthur is determined to have blissful moments like this with Guinevere for more than just an afternoon. For now he lets her sleep.

"Elyan is not going kill you, Guinevere. I promise" Arthur reaches into his trench's front pocket to pull out the small gift that brought him to Guinevere's office and in a way, brought him closer to her. The small gift that caused her to hurt herself in frustration when she thought she'd lost it; when she thought she'd lost the piece of her mother that her mother proudly gave to her. Arthur pulls out the bracelet and he sees it differently now. It's more than just a gold keepsake. It's a mother's love.

"I've kept it safe".


	18. Chapter 18

When Gwen's eyes slowly blink open a harsh radiance greets her. She shuts her eyes, willing herself back to asleep. Her bed feels so warm. Gwen's eyes flutter open again as the white ceiling and bright light comes into view once more. She squints, quickly bringing her hand to her forehead and shades her eyes, shunning the harsh fluorescent glow. Her bedroom's ceiling, as well as its surrounding walls, is the colour of plum. Her duvet is emerald green, not the plaid throw covering her, tucked thoughtfully under her chin and presently keeping her warm. Guinevere realizes that she is not at home in her spacious canopy bed, but instead lying snuggly on her office couch. She lies there a few moments more, still squinting and blinking, allowing her eyes to readjust to the office lighting, trying to remember when or how she got to her couch as she sits up slowly on the black leather sofa and stretches her slender, toned limbs upward, releasing a satisfied moan.

Gwen looks around her office to find that her desk; her files, her picture frames, her books; all neatly arranged, and the contents of her bag no longer scattered across its surface. Her handbag is hanging idly on her closet's doorknob; her beige, suede, pumps sit just off to the door's side. Gwen neatly folds the throw and lays it against the back of the sofa as she stands and walks to her closet, curiously looks into her handbag and finds all of its contents inside and in their proper compartments. She opens the closet door to find her coats and jackets neatly hanging on their hangers and the shoe boxes, where she keeps old case notes, are on the top shelf and no longer carelessly abandoned on the closet's floor.

Gwen stands there, looking into her closet, and then back at her desk again, confused 'I must have tidied up before I dozed off' she thinks. But the dull thud of pain in her wrist as she shuts her closet door soon corrects that thought. Gwen remembers slamming the hand on her desk and she remembers Arthur coming to her aide. She still recalls how tender he was with her, how he firmly but gently applied the icepack to her wrist, and then…nothing. Gwen's mouth slowly falls open as it dawns on her that she must have fallen asleep while Arthur was visiting her, prompting him to leave.

'First I greet him with wild hair; shoeless feet, and a wrinkled, un-tucked blouse. And then I fall asleep mid-conversation on the man! How rude!' Gwen mentally reprimands herself. The scolding continues when she realizes that Arthur must have carried her over to the couch, graciously ensuring her comfort, and then generously reestablished order to her office, her desk and her closet.

"God what that man must think of me" she groans.

She chances a look out her window to see that it is pitch black outside "No that can't be right. It can't be nightfall already". Gwen looks at her wrist and her watch confirms it "Half past nine- I've been asleep for nearly four hours!" A knock at her door startles her, gasping and staggering back a step.

Gwen quickly tiptoes to her door, leaning against it, and places her hand on the knob ensuring that it's locked "Who's there?" she calls out cautiously. She and Elyan sent their maintenance worker on a well-deserved holiday to be with his wife and son. So no one else should be at the firm at this hour.

"It's me, Albion's _most_ _fetching_ Irish bloke. But you all insist on calling me by my given name; strangely so, considering my way is much easier to remember" the voice responds from the other side of the door. On her side, Gwen long breathed a sigh of relief and unlocks the door, opening it, as she giggles listening to her friend's rambling.

"Hey there sleepyhead" Gwaine coos once he joins Gwen in her office.

"Hi, Gwaine" Gwen chuckles again "You know, you gave me a little scare".

"Sorry, little one" he dotes lovingly, wrapping an arm around his colleague's shoulder briefly pecking her forehead "How was your nap?" Gwaine asks walking over to the closet and bends down to reach for one of Gwen's pumps finding it interesting.

"Wonderful" Gwen responds casting him a strange glance as she saunters to her desk "But long. Why did no one wake me?"

"El said not to disturb you. Mona and I agreed. You needed the rest, love. That case took a lot out of you" Gwen nods her agreement, and gratitude. She watches on as her dashing mate continues to scrutinize her shoe, turning it carefully one way than the other, examining it from different angles.

"A string of pearls would go lovely with those, don't you think?"

"Mm hmm" he nods absentmindedly.

"The hair would have to be worn up to show off the pearls" Gwen suggests.

"Definitely" Gwaine answers reaching down to pick up the other pump and inspects it as well. Gwen stifles a giggle.

"A simple, but elegant, sheath dress just above the knee should be worn- provided you shave your legs of course".

"Of course… Wait…What?" Gwaine sharply turns his head, shoes still in hands, to face their owner.

Gwen does her best to keep her face neutral "You _are_ interested in a pair, are you not?"

"Yes…No…" Gwaine flusters, a blush enlivening his cheeks. Gwen's rich laughter, poorly silenced by her hands, tells him that she was only teasing him.

"Hardy har-har! Very funny, Leodegrance".

"Well" Gwen starts "what did you expect me to think, Gwaine?" she asks in between laughs "That you moonlight as a shoe cobbler?" Gwaine looks down at his hands and joins in on Gwen's mirth.

"I suppose I do look silly".

"…A little".

"These are a fine pair of shoes" Gwaine gestures to them before placing the pair back down and joining Gwen at her desk "And I was just wondering if you and Mona wear the same shoe size".

"We do. Why?"

"I want to get her a proper gift for her birthday and I figure since women can't own enough pairs of shoes…"

"Gwaine, Mona's birthday isn't until April" Gwen points out.

"Just enough time for me to get her something nice" he reasons. Gwen smiles warmly at her smitten friend.

"You really care about her, don't you" she states simply. Gwaine looks down smiling sheepishly and starts to pick at his fingernails, something he always did back in university when he was stalling.

"I really enjoy her company. I can be myself around her. She makes me laugh, she makes me nervous- but in the best way" he smiles shyly looking up at Gwen "She makes the best Indian food- her biryani is to die for!" He pauses and nods pensively "Yes…I do care about her".

"As she does you" Gwen smiles wistfully. Gwaine sees the look in her eyes and remembers something.

"Gwen-"

"Gwaine" she cuts him off fearing he saw her longing gaze "What are you doing here at this hour anyway?" she turns to look at the clock posted up on the wall behind her.

Gwaine, as her good friend and a lawyer as well, knows that Gwen is averting her emotions "I decided to stay late and review some case files. Elyan was my ride home and you were Mona's, but she didn't want to wake you, so he dropped her off at her flat and I figured I'd hitch a ride with you whenever you woke from your sleep. Besides, there was no way we would leave you here alone; big girl or not" he winks. Gwen smiles and reaches over her desk to place a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks, 'Cool G" Gwen winks rising from her seat and walks over to her closet "Let's get us home then".

"Not at all, love" Gwaine follows her "But before we go, there's something I have for you" Gwaine reaches down into his vest's right pocket and pulls out Gwen's I.D. bracelet. Her eyes widen and she gasps in shock, relief, joy when she sees the very object she had been searching for all day, the piece she had carried with her all her life, glinting, unblemished, undamaged in the palm of Gwaine's hand. She carefully takes it from his hand and brings it to her lips before enclosing it in her palm and bringing it to her chest, sighing in relief, in gratitude. She takes a moment to compose herself having allowed a few tears to journey down her face and a sob to escape her lips.

"Thank you, Gwaine" Gwen finally says reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck embracing him as tightly as she could "You have no idea-"

"It wasn't I who found it, Gwen" he tells her slowly stepping back from her to face her. Gwen looks at him puzzlingly.

"…Then, who…?"

"That beautiful detective friend of yours came by and dropped it off for you" Gwaine leads her.

"…Morgana" Gwen is stunned "But how did she even know that I-"

"No" Gwaine cuts her off again "Not her. The blonde one. _Pretty_-_boy_ _Pendragon_". Gwen stands there speechless. But her mind replays his words, '_There's something I have for you, Guinevere_'.

"…Arthur" she finds her voice again.

"Right" Gwaine nods "When he came by earlier he was prepared to return it to you; says he found it at a lab or somewhere other" he shrugs "But when you fell asleep he didn't have the heart to wake you…" Gwaine continues speaking and Gwen can hear his words again,

'_You look like you can use a nap_'.

'_Couldn't we all?_' she distantly remembers saying.

'_Some more than others_', she thinks those were his words...

"…So he gave the bracelet to me on his way out" Gwen dispels her mind's dialogue in time to catch the remnants of Gwaine's speech "He would have given it to El, he being your brother and all, but you were worried that El was going to hang you for losing it" she shakes her head and laughs at how truly worried she was over anticipating her brother's reaction "so I was the safer choice. Don't worry" Gwaine lays a reassuring hand on her shoulder "El doesn't have to know that you…_temporarily misplaced it_ anyway" he winks. Gwen smiles and hugs Gwaine once more, this time he welcomes it, having earned it, and hugs her back.

"I have to see Arthur" she says suddenly pulling away from her friend and reaching into her closet for her coat.

"Gwen" Gwaine glances at his watch "It's a quarter to ten and the precinct is well across town. You won't get there until half past eleven- if you're lucky" he tries to reason with his colleague. The look on her face tells him that he's fighting a lost battle.

"He drove clear across town to bring my bracelet back to me- and to thank him, I fall asleep while we're chatting!"

"He must be a boring bloke" Gwaine snickers. A sharp look from his college friend silences him.

"Gwen" he supplicates her "A one and a half hour drive there; another hour and a half back, that's three hours roundtrip. You won't be getting back home until one in the morning" and because he can't resist "and it's a school night" he adds parentally, then he points his index finger back and forth between the two of them "_We_ won't be getting back home until one in the morning. You're my ride, remember?"

"The sooner we leave, the sooner we can hurry back" she stands before him fastening the last button of her coat; handbag on shoulder and car keys in hand. Gwen stands there looking at her friend willing him to move. But he stands before her arms crossed against his chest and frowning at her.

"Gwaine, if you let me walk out of this office before you" Gwen warns "I am leaving without you and you can take the rail home".

"But then I'd have to walk another half hour. The tram doesn't service after nine and the rail doesn't reach that part of our neighborhood" Gwaine whines.

Gwen doesn't budge. "Good. Walking's good for you; it'll make you strong" she nods with finality. Gwaine looks at her flabbergasted and then narrows his eyes to near slits.

"You're an evil little woman" he says walking for the door, much to Gwen's satisfaction.

She smiles "I've been called _far_ worse".

"And I want dinner!" Gwaine calls out to her down the hall in his and Elyan's office.

"Of course!" Gwen calls back.

"A steak with all the trimmings" he says once he's back in the hall coat on, but still open, briefcase in hand as he locks his door. Gwen does the same.

"A steak with all the trimmings" Gwen repeats as he walks past her giving her his most unfriendly stare and makes his way for the front exit "A burger, pickle, chips and shake it is" she whispers.

"I heard that!"

'Curse this building's outstanding acoustics' Gwen groans inwardly.

* * *

><p>Arthur sits at his desk downing the last of his late night diner: An individual-sized shepherd's pie, a mixed greens salad and a root beer, all courtesy of Merlin who had the foresight to know that Arthur would not be leaving his desk until he exhausted himself, and the generosity to come down to the police house and hand deliver the food to his friend. Merlin also packaged a few pieces of English toffee, he and Arthur's childhood favourite, for the detective. The two used to buy it by the fistful every weekend at the sweets shop near their school with their weekly allowances. Arthur smiles at the memory of him and Merlin eating their confections in secrecy; in Uther's attic, or in Merlin's room, when they were really to be doing their homework. They would steal glances at one another, smile and giggle as they ate their 'secret sweets', as they called it, like it were the best kept secret in the world. Little did they know that both Uther and Hunith knew of the boys' hideaways as well as their candy habit. The sweets shop owner was the wife of the butcher. Whenever Hunith or Uther would buy their meats and poultry, the butcher would give the mother or father a small bag of toffee from his wife to give to either son '…Just in case he'd like a bit more- Janet knows it's his favourite' he would say. Uther and Hunith eventually put two and two together but never had the heart to regulate their boys' sweet teeth. Kids would be kids after all. Instead they just fed them more vegetables during the week and kept up with their dentist visits.<p>

"Arthur".

"Hmm?" the detective is snapped out of his nostalgic trance.

"What are you still doing here?" the computer analyst asks standing in his colleague's office doorway.

"Getting current on some paperwork" he says looking over at the thinning pile of files "I've got a few more left and I'll call it a night".

"Oh right" Lance taunts leaning in the doorway "Like you ever '_call it a_ _night'_. You've been that way since university…" He looks into the office over at Arthur's desk "I can see that your wife still faithfully prepares your meals for you" he smiles slyly. Arthur looks up and reaches over to his right to grab his empty root beer can and heaves it at Lance who catches it easily laughing all the while.

"I hear he's been cheating on me; preparing your lunch as well" Arthur quips back picking up another file to review.

"I wouldn't call it cheating. I never ask- nor did I tempt him. He offers. And it would be rude of me to decline" Lance reasons "Merlin may be skilled with a scalpel, but he's not too shabby with a chef's knife either" Arthur nods his agreement.

"If only he _looked_ as if he enjoys the fruits of his labour, others wouldn't be so hesitant to try his cooking" Arthur adds while flipping through the pages of his file.

"Just as well then- more for us" Lance states "I mean, think about it. What if _Percival_ discovers how good Merlin's food is, hmm? You and I would starve".

Arthur slowly looks up from the folder in his hand; panic- stricken, he feverishly shakes his head "Don't say such things! No one can learn of Merlin's abilities- least of all Percival".

Morgana, whose desk is just outside Arthur's office, was returning from the bathroom when she hears the last parts of Lance and Arthur's banter and decides to join the conversation.

"You two are dorks!" she interjects on Percival's behalf having a soft spot for the large police officer who is like a little brother to Leon.

"Good evening to you too, Morgana" Lance politely addresses her but the teasing is evident in his eyes. She rolls hers at him and looks again at her brother knowing he is itching to retaliate.

"Oh really…" Arthur speaks up "Well you're a dork _and_ a fart!" just as she'd suspected.

"You're a dork; a fart and a sweaty armpit!" his sister strikes back and Lance looks at Arthur, pinching his nose for emphasis.

"Oh, so now you're on her side!" the offended party exclaims.

"I have to be" Lance looks at his mate sadly and points to the doorway's other occupant "She's my ride home" Morgana sticks her tongue out triumphantly at her brother.

"Bugger off then- the both of you!"

"He was never any good at accepting defeat" Morgana remarks over to Lance. She looks at the empty tin and tray on Arthur's desk "I can see Merlin's still keeping you alive; despite my many efforts to persuade him to let you fend for yourself. What was on the menu tonight?"

"Shepherd's pie" Arthur says distractingly putting the finishing touches on the file in hand.

"Why didn't _I_ get any?" Morgana groans.

"He brought by two portions" Arthur looks pointedly to his left at his mini fridge "Yours is in there".

"And you _conveniently_ forgot to tell me" Morgana's tone accusing her eyes shooting daggers at Arthur as she walks over to the fridge to claim her delicious prize.

"Must have slipped my mind" he says unconvincingly not bothering to hide the grin on his face making Lance snicker before Morgana's pointed glare puts an end to his mirth.

"That's because your mind is otherwise occupied" Morgana replies knowingly causing Lance to snicker once more, this time Arthur's hard gaze stifling his laughter.

"Can't a man laugh at his friends anymore?" Lance broods.

Then he smarts up "So how did the _exchange_ go?" he speaks in code not knowing if Morgana knew of Arthur's mission. Arthur gets the hint and is grateful that Lance is looking out for him.

"Not as I'd expected; and it's alright, Lance. Morgana knows about the bracelet" The computer analyst nods.

"Oh" Morgana turns to Arthur "So you returned Gwen's bracelet today. Well it's about time! How did she react? Did she slap you?" the woman detective asks her partner with just a little too much enthusiasm for his liking. No glare could keep Lance from laughing this time.

"No she did not _slap me_, Morgana. Sorry to disappoint you" he adds looking at her disdainfully "She couldn't lash out at me if she wanted to anyway".

"What do you mean?" Lance asks walking into the office to join the duo. Morgana nods for her brother to continue.

"She was hurt and too tired" When his mate and sister exchange puzzled looks, he clarifies "Guinevere hurt her wrist while I was visiting her-"

"Is she alright?" Lance and Morgana ask together, concerned for the curly-haired attorney.

"-this afternoon" Arthur continues "Guinevere slammed her desk out of frustration, mad because she couldn't find the bracelet" Arthur's guilt starts anew "The bracelet that I'd had for months and was there to return to her…I tended to her wrist" he remembers how delicate the skin was there, how small her wrist was in his large palm, how careful he was not to wound it further "and she just fell asleep whilst we were chatting. She's been working very hard these past few months. I imagine she hadn't gotten much sleep…"

"So you let her" Morgana supplies.

"Yes".

"Gwen must have been exhausted to fall asleep while standing" Lance thinks aloud.

Arthur looks at him puzzled "How did you-"

"Gwen doesn't sit much; she doesn't like feeling idle" Lance explains. Arthur nods his understanding. It's true. The entire time he was at her office Guinevere remained standing meanwhile he sat down at least twice.

"She was standing at first, but one can't remain asleep for long in that position".

"That's not true, mate" Lance cuts in "Do you remember back in university, in our second year, when Merlin and I stood in line for three hours to get a set of those Doctor Who Tardis Christmas lights, that his Christmas just _would_ _not_ be complete without?" Morgana giggles delightfully having never heard this tale before. Lance has her full attention. Arthur rolls his eyes. "The line didn't move for thirty minutes at one point. Merlin spent that entire time _asleep_- never once swaying, never once leaning on me for support. I'd say that's a long time".

"…Alright. With the exception of Merlin- who I'm _convinced_ is a time lord himself- no one can sleep standing for long" Arthur repeats above Morgana and Lance's laughter "So" he continues "I eased Guinevere onto my lap and when she was sound asleep, I carried her over to her couch so she'd be more comfortable".

"Aww" Morgana coos "Arthur that was so sweet of you" the detective blushes under his sister's praise before clearing his throat to continue.

"In short, I never gave Guinevere her bracelet because she fell asleep. I wasn't about to just leave it on her desk, unattended. So I gave it to Gwaine; her colleague".

"Why not just leave it with Elyan?" Lance asks.

"Guinevere was worried that Elyan would kill her".

"Poor thing" Morgana sympathizes, feeling the same way when she does something she knows Arthur will disapprove of.

"Please… El wouldn't kill her. He might kill _you_" Lance points to Arthur "But never Gwen".

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, mate" he remarks with false enthusiasm.

"So" Morgana speaks once her laughter dies down "You haven't heard from her since this afternoon and you're worried that she's angry and no longer wants anything to do with you- which is why you still haven't clocked out. If you have your work to focus on, you won't have to think about Gwen".

Why has it always been so easy for Morgana to read his thoughts? Arthur thinks while tapping a pencil against the open folder on his desk. "You two should get going" he looks at his watch "It's already eleven. Leon's probably worried _half to death_ about you!" he implores to his sister.

Both Lance and Morgana laugh lightly at Arthur's exaggeration and both understand that he's deflecting attention from his emotions. So they don't press him.

"I'll go get my coat and then we can leave, Lance" Morgana walks over to Arthur, wraps an arm around his neck and lovingly kisses his forehead "Don't stay too late. And you need a shower- you really do smell like a sweaty armpit!" she turns her nose up at him before sauntering out of his office, shepherd's pie in hand, and to her cubbyhole. Lance chuckles as Arthur sniffs himself and frowns, agreeing with his sister.

"Hey, mate…"

"Yeah, Lance".

"Don't worry about Gwen…I grew up with her. She's never been one to harbor ill toward someone; even when they deserved it- which you don't. Trust me" Lance claps his friend's shoulder reassuringly "She'll come around".

* * *

><p>"You don't have to come up with me, Gwaine" Gwen tells the passenger's seat occupant once she arrives in front of the police precinct.<p>

"I'm not leaving you alone with that man- he may try something fresh!" Gwaine exclaims "Police precinct or not, I'll kill him" Gwen rolls her eyes and unfastens her seatbelt and pulls her keys from the car's ignition "Besides, you can't leave me out here by myself- I'm scared" Gwaine continues his act.

"We're surrounded by coppers, Gwaine".

"Exactly! As an attorney, I have every right to fear for my life. _You know_ coppers and lawyers don't get along" he says unfastening his seatbelt and reaching into the backseat to retrieve both his and Gwen's briefcases. Gwen shrugs indifferently but agrees with his generalization.

"Just don't embarrass me; that is all I ask" Gwen pleads to her friend as they exit the car and she locks up.

"It's a little too late for wishful thinking, love" Gwaine grins walking over to the driver's side, handing Gwen her briefcase; which she takes, glaring at the dashing, smiling attorney, and slips her hand into the nook of his elbow as he escorts the two of them to the police station's entrance.

Once inside, Gwen is prepared to ask the constable at the lobby's front desk for directions when the lift doors open to reveal Morgana and Lance,

"Lance!" Gwen exclaims running over to her childhood mate once he's stepped off the lift and the two hug warmly "I haven't seen you in _ages_".

"It has been a while, huh. You look beautiful, as usual. Ever the wild-haired beauty" Lance cups her face and kisses both Gwen's cheeks. His comment reminds her that she neglected to comb her hair and 'put her face on', yet again. She blushes. Hopefully it looks as if from flattery and not embarrassment. "I think you know Morgana" he gestures over to his colleague.

"Yes" Gwen reaches over to shake the detective's hand "Nice to see you again, Morgana" she smiles warmly.

"Well it was only this afternoon since we last parted" Gwen laughs at her sarcasm "But it's good to see you too, Gwen".

Gwen reaches back and taps his arm "This is my good friend and colleague, Gwaine McKinley".

"…An Irishmen. It's always nice to meet a fellow compatriot" Morgana greets him warmly.

"The pleasure's entirely mine" Gwaine kisses the back of her offered hand causing the detective to blush.

"An Irishmen indeed" she concludes cheekily.

"Morgana" Gwen asks "Would Arthur still happen to be here by any chance?" The detective has to bite her lower lip to keep from smiling at imagining her brother's reaction to this unexpected visit.

"He is actually. Just take the lift to the third floor, make a sharp left and then a right down the first hallway. His office is the third door on the left; the door will be open".

"Thank you".

"Not at all" Morgana turns to Lance "We'd better get going, Lance" she gestures to her left hand "This shepherd's pie isn't going to eat itself" The two attorneys and computer analyst laugh at the detective's comment before each pair bids the other farewell; Gwen and Lance sharing one last hug making plans for them and Elyan to regroup and reminisce over tea.

* * *

><p>Gwen follows Morgana's instructions. When she and Gwaine are a few steps from the third door, Gwaine sees an empty desk, (Morgana's) takes both his and Gwen's briefcases and walks ahead of Gwen to take up the empty space and check his emails while he waits on his colleague. As he walks past Arthur's door, he sees the detective's head down busy reading a file. He gives Gwen a thumbs up letting her know that she'd found the right office, but also as a sign of reassurance just in case she was nervous. She smiles and nods her thanks. Gwen takes a deep breath and walks the final few steps until she's standing in the doorway of the detective's door. His head is down, his brow furrowed and his pout deepened in concentration; the image taking her immediately back to that afternoon as he tended to her in her office. Gwen smiles at the sight before her and then fixes her face before knocking confidently on the open door, getting the detective's attention.<p>

"Good evening, Arthur".

Arthur's mouth drops open; as do his hands, dropping both the folder and pencil that they occupied. To say that he's stunned is an understatement. The way that the glow of the overhead bulbs in the hallway shatters onto her crown and cascades all down and around her silhouette, makes Guinevere look like an angelic mirage. Arthur is really not sure that she's standing there or if his mind is playing tricks on him. When she steps over the threshold and into his office, he instinctively raises from his office chair prepared to be taken up to the heavens with her if she so decided to have him.

"Arthur" Gwen says again taking cautious steps into his office, not sure what to make of the strange look on his face "It's me, Gwen".

"Guinevere?" he asks his voice distant as he slowly steps from around his desk "Are you really here?"

"God, Gwen, can you just _thank_ _him_ already- I'm starving" comes the reply. Arthur grimaces and slightly shakes his head.

"Who said that?"

"My RUDE FRIEND-WHO WILL _NO DOUBT_ BE EATING A BURGER TONIGHT!" Gwen turns her head and calls out toward the hallway before turning back to address the man before her "Gwaine. I had no choice but to bring him along" she smiles apologetically.

Arthur is now convinced that Guinevere truly is in his office and not a mirage; which makes him happy. She has decided not to shun him after all. But he's still a little nervous…

"Guinevere-"

"No, Arthur, let me" Gwen politely holds her hand up to silence him "I came here to…to…" Gwen wasn't expecting to be filled with such emotion. She can't find the words she wants to convey "I just want to…" She abandons words and rushes forward toward the detective throwing her arms around his neck and holding him fast allowing her embrace to express the words that her tongue won't allow her form. On the drive over, Gwen wasn't sure how she would address Arthur; if she would confront him for allowing her to get emotional in front of him, knowing that he possessed the very subject that caused her to have a small breakdown, or if she would react more professionally: politely thanking him, shaking his hand and offering him a monetary reward for finding her priceless gift. Not once did she think she'd be hugging him, her tears moistening his firm neck. Arthur instinctively wraps his arms around Guinevere's waist. He is shocked initially…then he draws her closer to his body, holding her firmly, reassuring her with his supportive arms, with his strong frame that she is safe in his hold. Her wet cheek against his neck, her trembling frame against his alerts him to her crying so he rubs her back comfortingly with one hand and brings the other to her head, gently massaging her scalp, soothing her as best he can.

"Where did you find it?" she asks drowsily enjoying the gentle circular motions of his fingers on her scalp.

"At the medical lab" he speaks softly into her hair, the scent of honeysuckle enthralling his nostrils "That day when you went to visit Tilly- Merlin at the morgue, you dropped it in the hall. You didn't know. I picked it up intending to give it to you...but… I'm sorry, Guinevere. I should have returned it to you sooner".

"No" she makes no effort to move "Don't be, Arthur. I hadn't even realized it was gone until today. Now you tell me that you've had it for months…I feel ashamed, not knowing it was missing that long". Gwen laughs sadly, vibrating both their melded bodies "I suppose I shouldn't be so attached to a trinket anyway. It's just an object after all". Arthur slowly- regrettably- pulls away from Guinevere, gently removing her arms from his neck and painfully ignores her low objecting moan, to look her in her wet, slightly pink, eyes and address her.

"It's not just an object, Guinevere. It's an object of affection" he reaches his thumb up to her cheeks and wipes away the last trails of tears "For you, it is an I.D. bracelet. For me" Arthur takes her hand and leads her to his desk. He opens the top drawer and pulls out his police badge. Wrapped tightly around its back is a ball chain where a small gold band dangles from it. He points to it "For me, it is this ring, my mother's wedding band. On her deathbed" Arthur pauses and draws a deep breath before continuing "she slipped it from her ring finger and placed it in my father's hand to give to me…It was her last gift to me. I carry it with me always. While it is just a ring…it's more than that. It's love. Just like your bracelet is love. I'm only sorry that I did not reunite you with it sooner".

Guinevere reaches up and gently cups Arthur's cheek, sending shivers of pleasure through him, forcing his eyes shut to enjoy the unexpected sensation "That you returned it to me at all means everything to me, Arthur" she looks him adoringly in the eye "Truly, I thank you".

Gwen can see that _something_ in Arthur's eyes again.

She recognizes it now.

Not just in him. But in herself as well.


	19. Chapter 19

One week ago.

Guinevere continues her tender caress on Arthur's cheek, hoping her touch comforts him after having just opened up about his mother, about her being on her deathbed when she made her final gesture of love, giving him her wedding band. He was just three years old when he lost his mum. Guinevere finds herself wanting to know more about his mother: Was she ill? Was she young when she died? What was her name? But she doesn't want to pry; doesn't want to be responsible for rehashing any painful memories. So she keeps stroking his cheek, finding it comforting, as well as a little distracting…

The stubble along his well-formed jaw is prickly and slightly ticklish; more than slightly ticklish in fact, causing an unexpected girlish giggle to rush from Gwen's throat. Arthur can't help but to smile at her sudden happiness and is grateful for the respite it provides from the haunting reminder of his mother's absence.

"What's so funny, Gui-"

"-GWEN!"

Gwen's hand stops mid-stroke; much to Arthur's displeasure, at the sound of her name being howled. She closes her eyes and inhales deeply before releasing a calming breath.

"Do you know where I can get a steak?"

"To _drive_ through his _heart_?" Guinevere tries not to laugh at his anger and annoyance. She succeeds, focusing instead on how sexy Arthur looks when he's cross, and the budding arousal this discovery brings…

"Not that kind of steak" her reply comes out slightly hoarse. She gently clears her throat hoping Arthur had not noticed the change in her voice "Although I do understand your frustration.

"_Do_ you?" his voice challenges. His smoldering gaze makes her pulse quicken, makes her skin so hot she practically feels the flames of Hades enclosing her. Never before has she welcomed; actually relished, the thought of such an abyss, as Arthur's piercing stare continues to sear her skin; her soul, her…

"I…uh…promised Gwaine dinner. He's requested a steak" Gwen glances at the trim of Arthur's beard, willing her eyes not to navigate toward his plump lips and failing horribly. Her eyes linger on his perfect pout a few moments more before she resumes "with all the trimmings. You're a man" 'A God!' her mind amends "You _must_ know where to get a good steak".

"Well of course- that's one of the markings of a good man: Knowing where he can eat a good steak, and to always remember to put the toilet lip back down" he puns.

"Hmm…Seems I've dated a few male impersonators then" Gwen mutters.

'Seems I've found you just in time'.

"_Gilli's_ makes a fairly good steak".

Gwen secretly thanks him for his non reaction to her remark; which she's sure that, given their proximity, he heard.

"You would think that they only make fish and chips. That's all _I_ ever get while I'm there anyway".

"Morgana's the same. …Although _she_ claims to get the fish for its '_health benefits'_". Gwen giggles at the cynical grimace he gives while saying this.

"I've tried to tell her that the only benefits she'll get from her fried fish habit are pimples; not exactly healthy".

"Not exactly a benefit, either!" Gwen chimes as both she and Arthur laugh in agreement.

"I suppose it isn't her fault, though. I blame the cook for being so skilled at his craft".

She sighs a laugh "That's like blaming a furniture craftsman for building a comfortable bed- making _you_ late for work because _you_ slept so well!"

Guinevere blushes. Of all the references to make, she had to use one with a bed. Arthur must have sensed her blunder as well because he bites down on his lips and tucks his chin to his chest in an effort to squelch his pending laughter. He wants so badly to tease her; make her blush even more…But he doesn't want to risk that she'll react negatively or, worse yet, leave altogether.

"So" Gwen finally speaks again "_Gilli's_ you say?"

Arthur lifts his head "Yes. It's just a short walk from the precinct. I recommend Gwaine get the porterhouse".

"I'm more of a skirt man, myself". Gwaine's intrusion causes Guinevere to jump back as Arthur abruptly stands from the edge of his desk where he'd been sitting. The two look as though Gwen's father had just opened the front door and caught his daughter's date giving his little girl a kiss goodnight on his front step.

Gwen recovers first.

"So you prefer a skirt steak- _qu'el_ _surprise_!"

Gwaine looks back and forth between the pair not knowing which look he enjoys more: Guinevere's sharp look of disapproval or Arthur's of growing discomfort. He knows that look. It's the same look he's had on his face when Elyan would tease him time and time again, in front of Mona, about his many female conquests. Gwaine sympathizes with the detective and decides not to embarrass him further.

He turns his attention to Gwen.

"I prefer the skirt steak, my _feisty_ friend, because it's treated better. Skirt steaks are almost always marinated, so they have much more flavour than say, a T-bone. Besides that, they're also leaner. Ramona's got me a lot more health conscious these days" he concludes smiling fondly. Gwen can't help but smile herself.

"She's a positive influence on you, my girl".

"_Our_ girl" he corrects and she nods in agreement.

"So, _Gilli's_ is it?" Gwaine directs to Arthur.

"Right: Two blocks east; you can't miss it".

"Thanks mate". Turning back to his colleague he asks "Can I get you anything, Princess?"

Gwen looks at her watch. "It's half-past eleven, Gwaine. If I eat anything at this hour it will go _straight_ to my hips".

Gwaine scoffs at this and looks over to Arthur for support, only to find the detective's eyes slyly wander, and linger, onto the mentioned soft hills situated just below the waist of his female colleague's shapely physique, nicely showcased by her form grazing pencil skirt. Gwaine dips his head and bites back a smile at the detective's lack of discretion.

"That's nonsense!" he lifts his head and suddenly calls out at Gwen's claim "Isn't that nonsense, Arthur?" The detective quickly looks up from his examining and to Gwaine, then back to Guinevere, before flinging both hands up.

"That's not my place to say, mate".

"But her claim makes _no sense_. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You've just reworded the question!" Arthur exasperates.

"And you still haven't answered it! Will food go straight to Gwen's _hips_" he emphasizes with an exaggerated tilt of the brow, only to rile Arthur further "if she eats at this hour?"

"I don't _know_" Arthur's speaks through gritted teeth, much to Gwaine's delight "I am not a nutritionist".

Gwen stands there looking confusedly between the two men not knowing why her flippant comment has caused such a reaction. Gwaine's sudden collapse into laughter eases her a bit when she realizes that her friend was only trying to rile Arthur.

"I was just teasing you, Arthur. I'm a lawyer-"

"Even when it hasn't been requested of you" Gwen adds un-approvingly.

"-I can't help it" Gwaine shrugs sheepishly.

"Clearly" Arthur moans, crossing his arms against his chest resuming his seat at the edge of his desk.

"No hard feelings?" Gwaine asks hopefully, extending his hand to Arthur. The latter looks at it for a moment, before looking up at the attorney through narrowed eyes and finally accepting the offered hand, smiling good-naturedly.

"None at all".

"Good. You're an alright, bloke; for a copper anyway" he says breaking the handshake.

"Oh dear me!" Arthur shrieks in mock excitement throwing his hand up to his chest, pretending to steady his breath, and turns to the other attorney "He really _likes_ me, Guinevere! I can't wait write it down my diary tonight!"

Guinevere's harmonious laugh rewards his ears, accompanied by Gwaine's more robust one.

"Just be sure to place a golden star by my name, thank you" he tosses his lustrous locks over his shoulder for affect, kindling Gwen's laughter anew just as it started to die down.

Arthur just rolls his eyes.

"You sure you don't want anything to eat, Gwen?" he turns back to his friend "You've not eaten a thing since lunch", to which Gwen's stomach grumbles at the reminder.

"Well" she starts off tentatively "If you insist…"

"I do".

"Some fish and chips would be nice" she looks over at Arthur "For its health benefits, of course".

"Yes- of course" he supplies before the pair start to giggle.

Gwaine looks at the two as they indulge in their private joke, noting how at ease they seem with one another and how handsome the pair looks together.

"Okay…A steak for me, fish and chips for the Lady, anything for you…Pretty boy?"

"…Pretty boy? _I'm_ the pretty boy?!" Arthur scoffs "I won't even _embarrass_ you to assume how much time; or _product_ for that matter, that you invest into your hair for fear that I might over exaggerate- only to _later_ find that I've actually _underestimated_!".

Gwaine frowns.

Arthur continues.

"In fact, I bet you have your hair insured, don't you?"

Gwaine's eyes are nearly narrowed shut.

"I _do not_ have my hair _insured_. Although I can see why _you_ would come to that conclusion" he says eyeing Arthur's pin-straight locks "Jealous?"

"Ha! Trust me. Of all the things I'd have insured, it _certainly_ would not be my hair".

Guinevere can't help it when her bottom lip gets sucked into her mouth and is held captive between her top and bottom teeth. She can't help the inquisitive arch of her brow. She can't help the hand reached up to her hair; her index finger idly twirling a curl, the seductive hooding of her eyes as they roam, probe, over Arthur: Starting at the wheaten canopy of his head, past his eyes, his strong Roman nose, as they continue still, past his chiseled, stubble shadowed jawline, downward to the spread of his broad shoulders and sculpted chest, across the concrete mounds of his strong arms; his jumper trying, in vain, to keep these secrets hidden, her eyes continue, landing at his tapered waist. They nearly reach the promise land…when Arthur turns to her.

Gwen's eyes quickly shoot up to meet his own, her teeth abruptly release the imprisoned bottom lip and she forces one corner of her mouth up into a half smile, all the while she prays the warmth in her cheeks do not betray her and that Arthur had not caught her thorough (though not enough to her liking) onceover. A small smile creeps across the subject of her scrutiny's lips.

She'd been caught.

"My nose" he responds matter-of-fact-ly. But the seductive drowse of his eyes lets Gwen know that she was correct to assume his _other_…overhang.

"I would insure my nose" Arthur turns back to Gwaine "My sense of smell is very keen. I have the nose of a bloodhound" he concludes rather proudly.

"Oh come now; it's not that big!" Gwaine provides, smiling triumphantly. Gwen tucks her face into her scarf to muffle her giggling.

Arthur hears her and whips his head around to pout and narrow his eyes at her before redirecting his attention back to Gwaine.

Standing up from his desk, he declares "Nothing for me, thank you!" before rounding the desk to resume his proper seat in his office chair.

"Very well then" the attorney chuckles and repeats his and Gwen's selections "A steak for me, and fish for the Lady". He turns to leave; promptly turning back around.

"Will you be alright her, Princess?" he asks a thoughtfully. Gwaine only knows Arthur in passing after all.

Gwen understands, and even appreciates his apprehension. Though they're same age, Gwaine is like a big brother to her.

"I'll be fine, Gwaine" she nods, her smile warm and reassuring.

He looks at her a moment longer before nodding and turns to face Arthur.

"Don't try anything funny, Pendragon" he says playfully, but his leveled stare reflects his true tone.

Arthur appreciates Gwaine looking out for Guinevere; it's honourable. He does not, however, appreciate his gallantry and self-control being questioned; in the presence of the woman he is seeking to pursue no less.

Arthur finally responds "I hear that you're notorious for your…_sense of humour_" just as playfully, his stare just as serious.

Gwaine nods and laughs. But his eyes reflect the pain and regret that his charming demeanor won't betray.

Arthur feels a twinge of guilt for causing the change in his eyes.

"In the past; the very recent past, yes. …But I'm a changed man now. I've had my fun…_toying_. But nothing compares to the joy of having the love; the honest love, of one woman, Arthur". The pain and regret, gone from Gwaine's eyes as love and admiration fill its void.

Arthur actually envy's Gwaine in that moment and will's himself not to look at Guinevere as the attorney hugs his colleague warmly before he exits, reminding her not to forget him at the restaurant when she leaves the precinct.

"Like I could forget him" Gwen quips closing the door behind her as she approaches Arthur's desk "The car ride home would be too quiet".

Arthur merely nods with a non-committal grunt having now resumed reviewing the files on his desk. Gwen can sense the shift in his demeanor and quickly reasons why. She approaches his desk and slowly removes her coat, now feeling the warmth of the precinct's heating system, and drapes it along the back of the vacant seat, pulling it up beside the detective's desk before she gently dips herself down into it.

"Gwaine meant no harm…He's just protective of me, is all; even though I don't need it".

Gwen's words shock Arthur's ears as though winter's chill has nipped them red. He suddenly remembers Magnus' threat and the protective police details he'd put in place to guard her. He looks away from his file to face her and finds her soft brown expressive eyes openly gazing at him. She smiles warmly and reassuringly, and his fears slowly ebb.

Regaining his attention, Gwen continues.

"And I don't find your nose to be big at all" she say matter-of-fact-ly.

Arthur's brow twists in confusion before he remembers the little joke made by Gwaine.

"If memory serves me well, I do recall you laughing at my expense" he pouts, and pouts deeper still when Gwen reprises her laughter. "And now you're laughing yet again!" he exasperates, trying himself not to succumb to her infectious laugh.

"I didn't laugh because it was funny" she says once she can speak "Well…perhaps it was a little funny".

Arthur's frown does not go unnoticed.

"Okay; wrong choice of words. What I'm trying to say is that it suits you, your nose. For such a strong and handsome face…" she pauses to scan his features: his broad cheekbones, the fine laugh lines at the corners of his eyes, the deep philtrum nestled between his nose and top lip, his full mouth, the way his strong chin mediates his equally strong jaw…

"…A dainty nose just wouldn't do".

Arthur's cheeks flush a shade of red that Guinevere has never seen before.

He's speechless and just smiles sheepishly at her praise.

"So, no, it's not your nose" her eyes cross over to his chest "but your heart that is big".

Arthur is truly dumbstruck by this, but also confused.

Gwen further explains.

"This afternoon, when you came by my office" Arthur's first sound in minutes comes in the form of a short sigh when he realizes what Guinevere is referring to "And I _rudely_ fell asleep; sorry about that by the way" she quickly apologizes.

He waves it off and she continues.

"While I slept, you cleaned my office for me; organizing my desk, rearranging my warzone of a closet" she sighs in embarrassment.

"Your closet _did_ look like the Apocalypse hit it- I agree". She leans over and playfully slaps his shoulder as they laugh.

"Not only that" Gwen speaks again "But you carried me over to my couch so I'd sleep more comfortably" she looks down at her lap, playing with her fingers, and then back up at his eyes and speaks tenderly "All those things you did, you didn't have to do. That was very generous of you, Arthur. You have a kind heart".

He looks at her for a while, scanning her face and the sincerity etched there, remembering how calm and peaceful she looked while she slept in his arms that afternoon. He remembers placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before he left, and how warm her skin was on his lips. O how he would like to place gently kisses on her forehead; on her everything, every day, if she would let him.

"Well" he speaks, forcing himself out of his thoughts "I couldn't just leave you to sleep standing on your feet; you would have had a cracked skull _on_ _top_ of a bruised wrist". He instinctively looks over and reaches to take the wrist in question gently into his hand, studying it and finding that the swelling had long gone down. He feels a light shiver come from Guinevere's hand and looks up at her, seeing a slight uncertainty in her eyes. He gently releases the hand back to her.

"It still hurts a little" she lies. He accepts it and moves on.

"As far as the cleaning…it's nothing I'm not used to" he shrugs "I'm a bachelor, I have no flat mates; I'm used to cleaning after myself. Plus, on a detective's salary, I can't afford a housekeeper, so I'm _forced_ clean up after myself".

Guinevere nods.

"My Father taught me, and my sister, at an early age that I may not always have someone around to look after me…that I have to learn to look after myself. So he taught us to clean, shop, cook; the cooking never took to be honest" he makes a face, making Gwen laugh "But I know a good bargain when I see one, and I guarantee you can dine off of my floors".

Guinevere smiles, impressed- even a little charmed, by these revelations.

"So" she holds up a hand and counts on her fingers "You can shop, you can clean, but you don't cook".

"I _can't_ cook- _can't_".

"Well I don't believe that; there has to be _something_ that you can cook, no matter how small".

"I've burned water, Guinevere" he deadpans.

She laughs wholeheartedly for some time, and finally gasping for air "No" she denies his claim, refusing to believe that one can actually burn water.

"I put a small pot on the burner once, to boil eggs for an egg salad, and walked away. When I returned- only a few minutes later- I found a hot pot with the last bubbles of steam evaporating. I had _burned_ the water, Guinevere".

She laughs again, fully believing him this time.

"That day scarred me for life" he shakes his head in despair, rekindling Gwen's amusement "It's when I finally came to terms with reality that I could never be a chef, so I decided to go into criminal justice instead. Now here I sit before you, a detective".

"A fine one indeed" Guinevere pauses just long enough to say.

"Thank you; I like to think so, too".

Gwen sighs finally catching her breath. She was thoroughly delighted; Arthur just as so for being the reason behind her joy.

He could never grow tired of hearing her laugh.

"So how do you feed yourself? You can't survive on takeaway alone".

"No; that would be awful. But I have made my neighborhood restaurants a small fortune; I'm sure of it. My Dad is a good cook. Whenever I visit him, I'm well-fed. He always makes enough food for me to take home and have for the following weeks".

"That's really sweet" she smiles warmly "My Dad used to be the chef of the house until I took over; he worked long hours".

"That's what it's all about, teamwork".

'So she cooks' he thinks.

"Apart from my Father and restaurant delivery service, Merlin keeps me alive".

"_Merlin_ _cooks_?" Gwen doesn't hide her shock.

"He doesn't look it, does he?" Arthur surmises the reason behind her surprise

"No it isn't that. I just thought that after spending the day using scalpels and knives; dissecting, cutting- even having to use burners, that the last thing he'd want to do is cook, you know".

Arthur agrees with her reasoning.

"Beautiful _and_ smart" the words come out naturally and Gwen smiles, not shying away from them.

"One of these days I'll have to see just what Merlin is made of" she muses.

Arthur suddenly finds himself jealous of his best friend's culinary skills; knowing how sharp they indeed are. Who's to say that he won't steal Guinevere's heart with a mint crusted leg of lamb? He's had Merlin's lamb; it's good lamb.

Hopefully she's fond of athletics. He would surely impress her with his football skills.

"Arthur?" she calls snapping him out of his thoughts. The way she says his name is like a lullaby, reminding him of how late it must be making him glance at the clock above his door (fifteen past midnight).

"Hmm?"

"I should go" she says regrettably "I have a busy day tomorrow".

Arthur's shoulders sink slightly. He should've known that she couldn't stay forever. But it was nice to believe that she would. He cherished having Guinevere for the short time that he did.

"But before I do, I just want to thank you again; properly, for returning my bracelet to me. So just name your price".

She stands and walks around her seat to retrieve her coat from its back, slipping it onto her shoulders as she does.

Arthur stands with her to escort her to the door; a questioning, and slightly offended look claims his face.

"My _price_" Gwen looks up from fastening her coat buttons at the sound of hurt in his voice "I don't wish to be compensated for returning what is rightfully yours, Guinevere. Is that what you think?"

She realizes the error in her choice of words and quickly makes to correct it.

"No- no- of course not; that is not what I meant, Arthur. I only meant that I wish to grant you a favour, make a gesture of some kind to show my gratitude. I didn't mean to offend you".

He relaxes at her explanation and nods. So she continues.

"I think you know how much my Mum's bracelet means to me…and I want to do something nice for you".

A football in the right corner of his office near his desk catches Gwen's eye and a plan is formulated in her mind.

"Do you play football?"

"Of course- it's one of my favourite sports!"

"Can I assume that you spectate as well?"

He shrugs "When I get the chance".

"Who's your favourite team; Newcastle United, Swansea City, Man United…?"

"Chelsea".

Gwen gasps "You're kidding! I _love_ the Blues!"

Arthur resolutely throws his hands into the air "_Of course_ you do".

Gwen breathes a laugh.

"Then it's settled: I'll get tickets to Chelsea's game next week". Gwen proceeds toward the door as Arthur folds his arms against his chest and cocks his head to one side, amused.

"Guinevere, are you asking me out on a date?"

The attorney turns around, blushing slightly, and smiles, tucking her chin to her chest.

She lifts her head back up; a coquettish look in her eyes.

"That depends…Are you saying yes?"

"Well" Arthur takes a step toward her, his eyes mirroring hers in flirtation "I'd have to be properly asked".

Gwen rolls her eyes and sighs, fully enjoying their little game.

She takes a step closer to him.

"Arthur Pendragon. Will you grant me the honour in accompanying me to the Chelsea Blues game next week?"

He bites the corner of his lip to keep his grin from spreading too widely.

'If this is how excited women feel when waiting to reply to a male suitor, then the roles should be switched more often'.

"Mmm I don't know, Guinevere" he responds, effectively catching her off-guard.

He takes a step back and turns around.

Running a hand through his hair "I'd have to schedule an appointment with my barber" turning back around to face the stunned attorney, he looks at his hands "I'd have to get a manicure- and a pedicure. Can't have one without the other, can I?" Touching a hand to his face he adds "I'd have to shave…Oh- I'd have to go to the gym" he looks down, touching his mid-section "shed some of this water weight; I need to be svelte-"

"Arthur!" Guinevere finally cuts in biting back a laugh once she's caught on to his teasing.

"Yes- I'll go out with you!" the words practically tumble out on top of one another.

"Good. I'll call you for your street address; as _I_ will be the one picking _you_ up".

Arthur looks surprised by this.

Gwen merely shrugs.

"...Just keeping within the theme" she winks.

Arthur walks her to the door, opening it for her before her hand reaches the knob. Guinevere steps over the threshold and into the hallway, noticing a few officers walk down the hall, clocking in for the night shift. She turns around and extents her hand to the detective,

"Goodnight, Arthur". He bows, taking the offered hand and brings the back of it to his lips, feeling her shiver for the second time that night, and presses a soft but firm kiss there, allowing his lips to linger on the smooth skin. He releases her hand and stands once more to his full height.

"Goodnight, Guinevere".

Later that night (finally arriving home at three in the morning, after dropping off a tipsy; having taken full advantage of his designated driver, Gwaine) Guinevere can't sleep. She keeps on thinking, smiling, laughing and thinking again about the day's events. She decides instead to make a pot of tea to go with her book. Pouring herself a cup and filling a tall thermos with the rest, she slips on her house slippers and pulls her housecoat tightly around her as she opens her front door and walks the thermos and a spare beaker across the street to the (undercover) officers guarding her that evening, to which they were very grateful.

Going back into her home, Gwen texts Arthur, sets her phone back on her nightstand, and takes her cup of tea to her living room.

Across town, Arthur, having had sleep elude him as well, leaves his flat complex's gym to find a text message on his mobile once he's entered his flat:

**Honestly Arthur. **

**Percival! **

**You send Percival to guard me.**

**You might as well have sent an armed **

**Pinkerton Guard; **_**he**_** would have been **

**less conspicuous. LOL. **

**I know Elyan will be glad.**

**They served together…**

**From what I hear, he's a good shot.**

**Let's hope I don't have to find out :(**

**G'night,**

**Gwen. **

Arthur reads the text again; lingering on the part where Guinevere gives a little hint more about her life (well, about Elyan's life) and is grateful that she cared to even share.

He smiles.

It seems that life is starting to look up for him again.

He puts the phone back down on his nightstand and discards his gym clothes in the hamper once in the bathroom before hoping in the shower.

* * *

><p>Today.<p>

Arthur walks out of his flat building's entrance to find Guinevere leaning against the driver's side door of her car, legs crossed at the ankle.

She doesn't see him.

He takes the opportunity to admire her.

She's clad in dark wash jeans, a pair of brown leather lace boots, a cream-coloured jumper, a red scarf, and a navy blue parka. Her hands are crossed against her chest as a gust of cold air blows her curls across her bare, freckled face. She giggles as her hair tickles her nose, and even above the howling wind Arthur can hear it's charming cadence.

He smiles and continues toward her.

Guinevere doesn't realize Arthur has left his flat until he's standing right before her.

"Hi!" she smiles up brightly at him, the tip of her nose red from the cold "You ready?"


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Can I just talk about Merlin BBC for a moment? I can't with Merlin's producers/writers anymore. Seriously. I just can't. To those of you who have been tuning into series 5; last night's episode especially (hell- the last _three_ episodes) you know exactly what I speak of. **

**The plot lines are chopped well enough to make a stir-fry. **

**To be honest I only continue watching the show for my loyalty to the actors (mainly Angel and Colin). I have been a fan of Merlin since the pilot episode back in 2008 and abandoning the gang now is simply not an option.**

**I thought season 4 was weak...But season 5, in my opinion, is the worst season of Merlin thus far; even with our Angel as Queen. She is the best part about this show yet for some unknown reason (-_-) we are seeing very little of her. And while we're on Angel, can we talk about the producers'/writers' lust to see her cry? Since the very first season of Merlin Angel has been made to cry as a result of the hurt; loss; treachery that her character Guinevere suffers, and Angel always does it with such realism; poignancy; the pain she channels is almost beautiful. Perhaps this is why it's requested of her every year. But for Christ's sake, acknowledge the woman! Give her the credit (exposure; press; promotion; LOVE!) and respect she deserves. I won't even get into the fact that Angel is (once again; for the third year in a row) absent from the front sleeve cover of the DVD box set. **

**Angel gave an interview earlier this year stating that she was made to stand in a freezing cold lake while filming season 5 of Merlin, while the crew/camera men stood around chatting as she was losing blood flow to her extremities. Did she complain? Doubt it. She's much too professional to bring something as trivial as _gangrene_ to their attention.**

**But something tells me that Angel, our Queen Guinevere, will be made to cry her most wretched tears this season.**

**I have this horrible, sinking feeling that the producers will kill off Adetomiwa Edun's Sir Elyan. My friends, let me tell you, if this happens; and I hope it does not come to this, I will surely boycott Merlin. Adetomiwa Edun is one of the (decreasing) reasons that I can still sit through Merlin. His loss on the show would be unforgivable.**

**Now that my (justified) rant is over, I present to you chapter 20 of Above The Law. Enjoy.**

* * *

><p>As Guinevere drives them to the stadium she can see out of her peripheral vision Arthur stealing glances at her; each one lasting longer than the last. She groans inwardly assuming that his critical eye is assessing the state of her wild and wind strewn hair.<p>

'Perhaps I should've worn a cap' she thinks.

But just as quickly Gwen's mind amends the thought.

'No! I like my wild hair; _especially_ when coifed by the breeze. Besides, he didn't seem to mind it much the last I saw him. The way his rough, callused pads tenderly massaged my scalp as he held me close to his firm, warm body… That's beside the point! I love my curls regardless of what Arthur thinks of them'.

Gwen comes to a stop at a traffic light and without warning to her passenger; who was openly looking at her now, abruptly turns her head to face him, effectively catching the detective off guard. She resists the urge to snicker at his startled, hand caught in the biscuit tin, expression. In a calm tone she asks him,

"Arthur, why do you keep looking at me like that?"

A puzzled look claims his face; his brows raised and mouth slightly open, and he points to himself.

"Looking…I wasn't looking at you- was I _looking_ at you?" Gwen tilts her chin down pointedly looking at him.

"Okay. I may have glanced at you once or twice" he says blushing slightly at his lack of conviction "It's just that…you look so different".

Remembering her momentary insecurities "Different how?" Gwen asks.

"Outside of your work attire. I've never seen you in jeans and a jumper before. You look so casual; so relaxed" 'As hot in jeans as you do in a suit'.

"Oh" the light changes and she resumes driving "Well, I don't wear my courtroom duds unless I'm on a case: Couldn't live in three piece suits and pumps, _could_ I?" she snickers.

"Of course not" Arthur agrees. 'Not the suit. The pumps however…'

Gwen glances over at the detective who looks just as casual in his denim; canvas shoes; nautical, striped jumper; football jersey; red windcheater.

"So you're a Drogba fan I see".

"He's one of the best strikers to ever play the game; not to mention one of the best to ever play for Chelsea".

"Drogba is one of my favourites too. I wish he were still on the team though".

"Ugh; they're not the same without him" Arthur agrees "But you can't blame the man for bowing out while still on top. Scoring the winning penalty goal against Bayern Munich was the perfect way to close his chapter at Chelsea. I hear he's playing in the Asian Football League now. But rumour has it that he wants to return back to Albion" he says with a childlike excitement in his eyes.

Gwen smiles at the enthusiasm emanating from the detective and decides to tease him a little.

"Aren't _we_ quite the fanboy" she smirks casting him a side's glance before returning her attention to the road.

"…Fanboy!" Arthur scoffs "I am not a _fanboy_. I am a connoisseur of football, Guinevere. Not some…giggling girl" Gwen laughs at this "Much like what you're doing right now!"

Gwen continues to laugh as she once more comes to stop at a traffic light. She turns to her left,

"Whatever helps you sleep at night Pendragon".

"Warm milk and a snug blanky" he pouts.

"Oh" she tilts her head thoughtfully "I prefer chamomile tea with my blanky".

Arthur fully turns in the passenger's seat to face Guinevere, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Warm milk" he challenges her. Gwen takes the challenge.

"Chamomile tea".

"Warm milk".

"Chamomile tea".

Inching closer to her face, Arthur persists.

"_Milk_."

"_Tea_."

"_Milk_."

"_Tea_."

"_Milk_."

"Listen here, Pendragon. This is my car- my rules. And I say _chamomile_ _tea_ is the way to go".

"Guinevere" Arthur sighs in defeat "Everyone knows that a glass of warm milk will knock you right out".

"Yes. But chamomile tea will gently _soothe_ you to sleep; keep you asleep, and it won't give you a white, heavy tongue with heavy morning breath to match". The traffic light changes and Gwen resumes driving.

Arthur makes a face "So that's why…"

"But if you absolutely must, just add a touch of warm milk to your tea: A good compromise if you ask me" she nods satisfyingly.

Arthur smiles over at her "I like the way you think, Leodegrance".

Gwen shrugs. "Think of it as pro bono" she pulls up to the stadium's car park and proceeds into the lot "Next time I'll have to charge you".

Arthur breaths out a laugh "You just gave me advice on a sleeping tonic; not legal counsel".

Gwen navigates the car park with a hawk's eye looking for an available spot. Though they had decided to get to the stadium an hour before the game, judging from the scarcity of parking spaces, they hadn't come early enough.

"Of the two of us" Gwen speaks as she keeps searching "you're the funnier half. I'll have to get a joke in whenever I can, _Warm_ _Milk_. Now help me look for a space will you".

With Guinevere's choice of words, referring to Arthur as a 'half', she inadvertently refers to herself as the other half; the two making one another whole. She reasons that she has to tell jokes 'when she can', not _while_ she can, in doing so, asserting herself as something constant in Arthur's life and not just a temporary presence.

Guinevere is seemingly oblivious to the implications of her words, but not Arthur. He picks up on them and keeps mum as a smirk forms his lips.

Both the attorney and the detective continue to scan the car park until both spot a space. Gwen pulls into the car space; takes the tickets from the glove compartment and hands one to Arthur, slipping the other into her inside parka pocket.

Arthur looks aghast "You kept the tickets in your glove compartment all week?" he asks stepping out of the car.

"And risk them being stolen by a carjacking Chelsea fan?! I think not". Arthur grimaces.

"Ha-ha; very funny. Looks like you're working on being the _funnier_ _half_ then".

"Well one does one's best" Gwen shrugs "I only put the tickets in there this morning".

She locks the doors; pockets her keys, and joins Arthur at the back of her car. He offers her his elbow, which she takes; slinking her arm into his; locking their elbows in place, as they walk toward the arena. At the end of the car park, just before reaching the stadiums entrance, the pair comes upon a father and son leaving. The look on the little boy's face tugs at Guinevere's heart. She gently pulls away from Arthur to approach the man and his child.

"Are you leaving, Sir?" she asks the father just as he's opening the back door of his car "Chelsea vs. Manchester United promises to be a good game".

"Hmm, don't I know it." the father agrees before looking down toward his son "But my boy's come down with a mean one. I've known for a day or two now, but he's a tough little man" he playfully nudges his son's chin. "He insisted that he felt better, that we come to the game. Unfortunately his stomach made a liar out of him" he says sympathetically fluffing his little boy's hair.

The little boy makes a sour face "I hate being sick" he pouts. Gwen bites back a smile and kneels to the pavement meeting the small child eye level.

"I hate being sick too. My name is Gwen by the way" she offers her hand to the little boy "What's your name?" He looks up at his father who nods his approval.

"Aaron" he extends his small hand and shakes Gwen's.

"Aaron" Gwen smiles "You remind me of my little brother Elyan when he was four- you are four, right?" Aaron nods his head a little surprised.

"I _knew_ it. Four year olds are brave. A three year old would have been kicking and crying; making a scene if he had to go home and miss his team's football game. But not you, Aaron: You're being very cool about it". The little boy smiles shyly despite his pain and disappointment. The father smiles too and then looks up at Arthur. He looks back down at Guinevere; back up at Arthur, and nods. Arthur, understanding the compliment, smiles and nods back.

"So, Aaron. Who's your favourite Blue?"

"Daniel Sturridge" he says a little weakly, but the excitement beams off of his little brown face.

"Ah, Sturridge" Gwen nods approvingly "He's one of my favourites too". Gwen narrows her eyes, bites a corner of her lip, and brings a hand to her chin in thought.

"Do you know what I'm going to do for you Aaron?"

"What?" he asks curiously.

"I'm going to cheer extra loud to get Daniel Sturridge's attention. When he looks at me, I'm going to tell him that he _must_ score a goal for my friend Aaron; who's sick, and it will make him feel better".

Aaron's eyes widen in surprise and delight "You will?!"

Gwen smiles brightly "I'll be so loud that he'll have no choice but to look for where the noise is coming from, that's when I'll tell him". Aaron, forgetting about his stomach ache, practically leaps onto Gwen and hugs her neck tightly. Gwen laughs and instinctively wraps her arms around the grateful little boy. He finally pulls away.

"Thank you, Ms. Gwen".

"Of course, love; anything for a fellow Chelsea fan".

From behind her, Arthur smiles, noting how wonderful she is with children. 'One more thing to love about her' he thinks and his smile grows wider. The father, still smiling, reaches down and cups his little boy's chin.

"Okay Little Man. Let's get you home: We wouldn't want to miss that goal Sturridge is going to score for you". That being all the motivation Aaron needed, he reaches up for his father, who picks him up and transfers him to the child safety seat in the car; strapping his seatbelt over him. Closing the back door the father turns back to Gwen.

"You're amazing with children. Only a moment ago my son felt like this was the worst day of his life: for a four year old, I'd say his emotions were justified" the father chuckles with Gwen and Arthur nodding and smiling in agreement. "But you changed his mood entirely. Tell me" he points from Gwen to Arthur "do you two have any of your own?"

Gwen and Arthur look wide eyed at one another; stunned, then stuttering "Um…He…Me…" "She…I…" "Uh…We…" "No. He and I don't…" "She and I don't have children- not yet" Gwen looks over at Arthur eyebrows raised.

"No. I mean" he tries to explain, pointing from her to him "_We_ don't have any children yet" Gwen's expression changes little.

"I mean, _you_ or _I_ don't have-"

"It's alright" the father cuts in laughing "No pressure, here. No need to rush- my wife and I sure didn't. Having children is a joy, but nothing to be rushed into. Besides, most of the fun's in making them, yeah?" he claps Arthur's shoulder and the two share a laugh while Gwen blushes.

"Anyway" the man opens the driver's side door "thank you again, Ms. Gwen, for cheering my boy up" remembering he'd never introduced himself he extends his hand to Gwen "I'm Stephen; my apologies for forgetting".

"No need" Gwen accepts his offered hand "Nice to have met you, and your lovely boy, Stephen". He offers his hand to Arthur next.

"Arthur" the detective shakes the offered hand.

"Ha! Arthur and Gwen; go figure" he shakes his head amazed "You two enjoy the game. We'll be sure to look out for that goal" he winks at Gwen and hops into his car. As he drives away, little Aaron waves goodbye to Gwen one final time. Arthur offers his arm to Guinevere once more.

"…As we were".

If the pair still feels awkward or embarrassed about the subject of children being brought up (and how they both reacted to it) they don't show it as they proceed to the arena.

When Arthur and Gwen get to the ticket turnstiles there are hundreds of ticket holders waiting to have their tickets verified before being permitted into the field. Arthur takes the opportunity to look at his ticket to see where he and Guinevere will be seated. He is stunned to find how amazing their seats are.

"Guinevere how did you get us seats behind Chelsea's dugout?"

"Well, a former client of mine is friends with the owner. I proved his innocence in a framed homicide a few years back; he never lets me forget how grateful he is for it. He stopped by the office a few days ago to say hello. We chatted for a while and I might have mentioned my interest in this week's game; that I'm trying to impress a friend. So he came through for me" Gwen shrugs.

"So you're trying to impress me are you" Arthur grins.

Gwen blushes then looks down at her hands and picks at her nails "Of course; I asked you out, didn't I? Couldn't have you thinking I'm a flounder of a date".

Arthur looks at the ticket again "Flounder!" Drawing Guinevere against him, he places one hand behind her head, the other on her lower back; pivoting her "My dear" he dips her and she gasps in surprise; in delight as he gazes down at her "You are the _mahi mahi_ of dates". He rights her back to a stand and her head falls back as she laughs richly while he gazes and smiles down on her.

"If this is how you react to the tickets" Gwen speaks after a while "I wonder what your reaction will be to the all-access passes". The colour nearly drains from Arthur's face.

"You got us all-access passes to the Chelsea locker room?"

Gwen bites back a smile "No. But I like your enthusiasm".

"Oh" Arthur narrows his eyes as he smiles wickedly "I'm gonna get you for that Leodegrance".

"_Are_ you know" Gwen teases.

"You won't know when; you won't know how. But I _will_ get you".

"…_Hot_ _air_". Arthur looks down into her teasing brown eyes and fights the urge to bend down and kiss the smug look right off of her face.

"How about, _gasping_ for air?"

"…Sorry" Gwen asks confused.

"You will be" Arthur's fingers attack Guinevere from both sides as he tickles her relentlessly. She giggles and fights, in vain, to escape him but he just draws her closer.

"Arthur…ple-hee-hee-hee-ease…Stop it!"

"Not until you apologize" he keeps tickling her.

She gasps for air in between laughs.

"…What for?"

"For tricking me".

"Ih-h-It was too easy to pass up". Arthur prepares to tickle Gwen even harder when an impatient voice from behind them interrupts.

"Come on mate; the line's moving! You two can carry on once you're inside, yeah". The tickling and laughing stop almost as abruptly as it had started. Arthur and Guinevere both look at one another shyly and a little guiltily before snickering and moving ahead with the line.

"Oh don't mind him" an older woman ahead of them in line turns around to say to the pair "Some people get so _wound_ _up_ about athletics. They act as if it is the be all and end all. It isn't. Love is. It's nice to see young people like you so in love" she smiles fondly at them and then up at her husband who's standing right beside her. "How long have you two been together?"

Both Guinevere and Arthur quickly look at one another and just as quickly look down; both blushing. For the second time that day they have been mistaken for a couple. Arthur takes the initiative and speaks up first.

"This is actually our first date" he looks over to Guinevere "of many, I hope". She looks up at him and hesitates before smiling.

"…Your _first _date?" the older woman asks taken aback "The way you two were carrying about…I thought for _sure_ that you've been together much longer than that".

"Well it _did_ take her four months to ask me out" Arthur casts a side glance at Guinevere before looking back at the older woman and whispering, "She's a bit shy". Both the woman and her husband laugh at this.

Gwen scoffs and looks pointedly at Arthur "Well if I had waited on _you_ we wouldn't even be here". Arthur feigns hurt.

"That's not true; we would be here. …Not at this _particular_ game, but eventually, you and I would be here" he nods confidently. Gwen rolls her eyes at him.

"The truth is we worked together and it would have been inappropriate to see one another socially" Gwen reveals; much to Arthur's delight. He had thought that she just wasn't interested in him. But it turns out that she was just following good ethics. He smiles inwardly.

"Oh" the older man speaks this time, nodding thoughtfully "Did one of you get sacked?"

"Oh no" Gwen assures him "But if one of us _had_ been sacked" she nods her head to her right "it would definitely have been him". Arthur scoffs and prepares to say something but Gwen continues.

"I'm an attorney and Arthur is a detective. We were working on a case together. Now that the case is closed, I took the initiative to ask him out".

"I only let her because I knew she'd get better tickets" he assures the couple.

"Oh, using me for my connections are you?" Arthur looks away in mock shame.

"I'm not proud of it Guinevere. The smallest mention of football and I lose all tact". The married couple laughs at Arthur again.

"Good chemistry and good banter; you two make a lovely pair indeed".

"They remind me of us" the older man looks down at his wife's face before bending his head down to peck her forehead.

The line progresses, not needing another reminder from their fellow, grumpy, Chelsea fan, the four of them move ahead, getting closer to the turnstiles. The older pair turns back around to re-engage Arthur and Gwen in discussion.

"In our day it was difficult- dangerous even- for Ed to court me" the older woman smiles up at her husband before looking back at Gwen and Arthur "But he was a persistent devil; handsome too" she winks at Gwen who smiles "and we were in love".

"Still are" he chimes in, lacing his pale fingers even tighter between her brown ones and brings her hand up to his lips. "Falling in love with Marie is the best decision that my heart's ever made".

"Oh Edward" she sighs, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. He bends his head and kisses his wife softly on the lips then pulls back to stroke away the now shed tears off of her cheeks. Both Gwen and Arthur turn away, affording such an intimate moment a bit of privacy. Gwen quickly wipes stray tears that escape her eyes.

"I'm just glad that times have changed" Marie speaks again "Not completely, but we have come a ways. People are free to love whomever they choose" she looks from Arthur to Gwen and smiles "I think you two have made _fine_ choices".

The line moves forward and Gwen and Arthur finally reach the turnstile. Marie and Edward wait aside for them once they've gone through. The two give their tickets and have the stubs returned to them as they walk through and rejoin the married couple.

"We just waited to bid you the two of you farewell" Marie speaks smiling warmly at the pair "May you two enjoy the game; enjoy your date, and enjoy your lives; whether they be together or apart". Edward looks at Arthur just as his wife says 'apart' and sees a trace of a frown cross his face. He smiles.

"Something tells me that they'll be together". He looks at Arthur knowingly and winks at the detective before leading his wife away into the stadium.

"Lovely couple aren't they".

"Beautiful" Gwen agrees. She snakes her arm around Arthur's elbow once more and smiles up at him "Come on you. We've got a match to watch".

* * *

><p>Arthur looks over at Guinevere as she drives 'Her face gets more beautiful each time I look at it' he thinks.<p>

"So, Sturridge scored the winning goal in extra time. You stayed true to your word Guinevere". She quickly glances over at him then back at the road grinning triumphantly.

"I did, didn't I? But you and I know that Sturridge's goal had nothing to do with me; I could barely hear myself _think_ over the chants and jeers of tens of thousands of Blues fans, let alone get Sturridge's attention long enough to relay my request to him".

"True" Arthur nods "But Aaron will still think Sturridge scored because you asked him to. In fact after today he may think that you're Father Christmas' wife". Gwen bites down on her lip to keep the words from escaping but she can't help it.

"According to a few people today that would make _you_ Father Christmas, wouldn't it…_dear_?

Arthur laughs a little harder than required trying to mask his excitement; though his laugh did nothing to hide his red cheeks.

"I suppose spreading cheer and joy to children all around the world for one night out of the year beats seeing what we see on a daily basis" he grunts.

"Agreed" Gwen offers "Most of the people we deal with on a daily basis certainly deserve coal in their stockings".

"Most of the people we deal with on a daily basis deserve cyanide in their stockings" he corrects her.

"Well" Gwen gawks "Remind me never to get on your bad side".

Arthur ducks his head "Sorry. I don't mean to sound so sinister…"

"No. I get it, believe me, I get it. I'm just glad we were able to get away from it all today; Chelsea getting the win as the topper" Gwen smiles. Arthur joins her.

"Not a bad day at all".

Gwen smiles apologetically "I'm just sorry it couldn't last longer" she says as she pulls up in front of Arthur's flat complex "I promised Mona I'd go over her thesis with her; this being my only day off and all".

Arthur turns over to face Guinevere "That's alright. There'll be other dates I hope" his eyes plead. Gwen looks down shyly then back up, smiling confidently.

"I'd like that".

"Good. Next time we'll choose a place a little less noisy; like a shooting range, perhaps". Gwen's rich laughter fills the car and warms Arthur's spirit as he joins her.

"Putting Chelsea and Man United fans in the same arena is never a good idea" she agrees.

"…Never".

An awkward silence befalls them before Gwen finds her voice first.

"I had a wonderful time today, Arthur. The last time I'd been at Stamford Bridge was too long ago. It felt nice being there again".

"Yeah, it was nice, wasn't it?"

"Um hmm".

Gwen looks down briefly to avoid the expectant look in Arthur's eyes, but his gaze almost pulls hers to his and she doesn't resist it. There's a need in his eyes that part of her wants to fulfill, the other part of her wants to avoid it because she knows such a need can manifest itself into something more; something she's not ready to give him just yet.

"I'll call you" she finally says hoping the expectant look in his eyes would go away. It doesn't.

"I'd like that".

Guinevere turns back around to face the road "I should go now".

"Guinevere" Arthur can sense the shift in her and decides not to push her, but he doesn't want to see her leave just yet.

She turns to face him "Yes?"

"Now I may not be a Lady. But I'm _certainly_ no tramp. The very least you can do is escort me to my door". He turns away from her, crossing his arms against his chest; chin held high, and stares out onto the road. Gwen stifles a giggle and inwardly thanks him for diffusing the tension she'd created.

"How remiss of me, my Lord. Please, wait here". Gwen unfastens her seatbelt, steps out of the car and crosses around the front, smiling all the way, and comes to the passenger's side door. She opens it for Arthur and he steps out, taking her offered hand. When Gwen reaches his flat complex's main entrance, Arthur puts on a false air of arrogance refusing to enter the building until Guinevere opens the door for him. She just laughs and plays along, opening the door and ushering him into the building. They get to the lift and enter.

"Level five please" Arthur instructs Gwen refusing to press the button himself. Gwen presses it and the lift proceeds.

"I don't like posh Arthur; she's a bit of a bitch. I'd like the old you back now". Arthur fights the urge to smile.

"Not yet- I'm rather enjoying this". Gwen turns and looks sharply at him before sticking her tongue out.

"Oh, real mature Guinevere".

When the pair exits onto the fifth floor Arthur is back to himself. They reach his flat door and he turns over to Guinevere.

"I had a really great time today Guinevere. But I would like to take you out on a proper date, to dinner and a show; or perhaps the museum, somewhere nice. Would you like that?" Arthur asks hopefully. He holds his breath for what seems like an unnatural amount of time waiting for her response. When she finally smiles, that warm beautiful smile of hers, he exhales slowly.

"I would like that very much".

"Good". He takes her hand and bows, making her laugh and looks up at her. The intensity and sincerity in his gaze stops her laughter. He strokes his thumb across her knuckles causing a small gasp to escape her lips, and places a warm, lingering kiss on the back of her hand. He straightens up, her hand still in his, and he slowly releases it to her.

"Good day, Guinevere".

Through softened, curious eyes she looks at him for a moment before smiling and nodding once.

"Good day, Arthur". He watches her walk away and when she looks back and smiles at him before entering the lift, his heart quickens. He walks over to the hall window to ensure she gets to her car safely and watches her drive away.

Arthur walks back to his flat door with a bounce in his step. He's smiling as he enters his flat, but the smile quickly fades when he realizes someone has broken in.


	21. Chapter 21

AN: A few of things:

1) Evil Gwen is giving me all kinds of life! I mean...Seriously. Angel Coulby deserves all the awards, of every category; including Best Male Actor. (Nathaniel Parker's Agravaine, along with every male villain that's been on Merlin, has nothing on her).

2) Leon (you get no "Sir" here). You may have fooled Camelot...but you damned sure don't fool me. I'm gonna need you to take several steps away from the queen. (Arthur, honey. You were worried about the wrong knight, love. The Wrong. Knight.)

3) I detest Morgana as much as you all do. But come on...She is not the only sorceress in Camelot. Nor does everything that goes awry or otherwise, her fault. I mean really though:

(The sky is overcast) "It must be Morgana".

(There's a chill in the air) "It has to be Morgana".

(The Queen has hiccups)

"Oh dear! I must have eaten in haste".

Gaius: "Your Majesty. These are no ordinary hiccups; there is sorcery at play here. With hiccups this persistent it can only be of one's doing. Morgana.

"Honestly. Gaius. I have eaten top fast; that is all. I'm not above hiccups".

"And neither is Morgana, my Lady".

(Arthur looks on concerned before calling for Leon) "Leon. Double the guard: Morgana has enchanted my wife's digestive system".

(The Queen leans back in her chair; crossing her arms across her chest, exasperated) "Oh for Heavens' sake!"

4) Though I called it...I hate that Elyan was killed. But that fateful episode was both Angel Coulby's, and Adetomiwa Edun's crowning moments as actors. It was a gut wrenching episode, but one of the best of Merlin.

5) While we're on Merlin, can we please take a moment to appreciate Colin Morgan's forearms. *fans self* I think somebody has been hitting the gym with Tom during the off season/filiming. We don't get to see much of Colin's flesh, but the peekaboo forearms are quite impressive.

Okay, kiddies. Now off to reading with you. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Arthur carefully steps over the threshold of his front door, quietly pushing the door wider open until it touches the wall. Though he had taken a sick day off from work for his date with Guinevere and decided to leave his main firearm behind, locked in his nightstand, he always keeps a second, smaller handgun strapped to the inside of his ankle. He hears a pair of footsteps coming from the direction of his bedroom toward him. In one fluid motion Arthur squats; un-holster's his gun, disables the safety lock, stands with both hands on the butt of the gun, his index finger on the trigger and aims it squarely at the intruder's chest. She slightly staggers back a step and mentally kicks herself for doing that much. This is not the first time she's had a gun pointed at her and it probably won't be the last. A small smirk forms her lips as she stares down the barrel of the gun and its wielder.<p>

Arthur lets out a frustrated grunt before laxing his arms and letting them fall to his sides.

"_Morgana_- what the- bloody hell- I nearly shot you!"

She sigh's a laugh. "That wouldn't have gone over too well with Dad" she pauses "Or Leon, for that matter".

Arthur glares at her, causing her to laugh again, and re-holsters his gun before turning around to shut the door behind him. Locking the door he turns back around to address his partner.

"What are you doing breaking into my flat? I can have you arrested for trespassing. In fact _I_ can arrest you for trespassing".

Morgana narrows her eyes. "_You_ _wouldn't_" she dares.

"I would" he counters.

"You couldn't" she shrugs.

He walks closer to her "I could". Her gaze shifts away from her brother's, then quickly shoots back up to it, a new gleam in her eyes. A smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

"You _shouldn't_".

"I…" Arthur pauses and eyes her skeptically "Why shouldn't I?"

"Well see, Merlin has a spare key. So not only am I not trespassing on your property, _technically_, you have granted me access". Morgana smiles triumphantly.

Arthur's glare tightens as he walks closer to her, fully prepared to confiscate the key from his sister. He has learned that there are certain things a brother and sister should not share after a certain age: unrestricted access to one another's living space being one of them.

"Yes, _Merlin_ has a spare key, not you". He extends his hand, palm faced upward "So-"

"-that's why I popped by hers place on my way over" the medical examiner in question says, effectively editing and finishing the detective's statement all at once, as he immerges from the kitchen and walks straight to the living room, a tray of food in hand. Merlin looks up from the coffee table where he's placed the tray, his crooked grin ever-present "I've made your favourites".

Arthur looks at the mini French dip sandwiches and unconsciously smacks his lips. He and Guinevere hadn't had the time for a proper meal, as she had to rush back to aide her friend. Though they had chips and personal pizzas while at the game earlier, it was but a teaser for his manly appetite.

"The mini spring rolls; pigs 'n a blanket, and spinach and artichoke dip have a few minutes more to go in the oven" Merlin concludes. Arthur makes a face as he removes his shoes, wordlessly instructing Morgana to do the same, who rolls her eyes, but complies, and tucks them into the shoe cubby adjacent to the hall closet. Walking down the corridor and into the living room, he passes the coffee table and seizes two sandwiches along with the accompanying cups of jus off of the platter and plops down into his recliner.

"Merlin, you know I hate pigs 'n a blanket just about as much as I hate spinach and artichoke dip" the detective says around a mouthful of bread, steak and sauce.

"Now hold on" the medical examiner frowns "…those are _our_ favourites" he points from himself to Morgana just as she reaches the couch.

"That's right; they are, aren't they?" Morgana says mirroring her friend's false disappointment before shrugging and plopping herself onto the sofa "More for us, then". Arthur scowls at both of his scheming, ink black hair, alabaster skin comrades, before he takes another bite of his sandwich, finishing it.

"So" Merlin leans forward, smiling eagerly, his elbows propped on either knee with both hands clasped between them "How was our date with Gwen?" So there it is. Arthur was wondering what the two were doing at his home. He'd suspected that his sister and his best mate were there to ask a favour of him; buttering him up with food first. He should have known better that the duo was just being nosy. Silly of him to think that after twenty years they'd have found another life to take such interest in (like their own).

Swallowing his last bite, the investigator asks "You mean to tell me that the two of you broke into my flat, just to ask me about my date?"

The medical examiner and detective look at each other before facing their friend "Yes" they resound, as if their reasoning was the most obvious thing.

"Of course, Arthur" Morgana says.

"Why else would we be here- afternoon tea?" Merlin looks incredulously then turns to snicker with Morgana. Arthur looks at the two and then shakes his head.

Dipping the second sandwich into the jus, "You two should be committed" he says, before taking a generous bite and leaning deeper into the recliner, closing his eyes in bliss as he enjoys the rich, savory sarnie.

"Oh please, you should be used to use by now" Morgana chirps.

"I am" Arthur says, mouth still full, eyes still closed. "But Guinevere isn't". Merlin and Morgana share a knowing look and turn back to Arthur.

"Does that mean that we can expect to see _more_ of Gwen?" Merlin asks. Arthur opens his eyes as he finishes his bite and sits up straight in his seat.

"No, _I_ expect to see more of Guinevere and for me to have any success at that, _you two_ will stay away from her; you especially, Morgana" He looks pointedly at his sister. Morgana looks offended.

"Why, _especially_, me?"

"Because you like to tell tales".

"Truths; I believe that is what they call facts: truths" Morgana corrects, at the same time acknowledging that she does have a penchant for _sharing_ news even when it isn't hers to share. "Besides, I am your sister and Merlin is your best mate. If you plan on getting to know more about Gwen, she will of course want to know more about you in turn. To know you, is to know us" Both the ME and the DS acknowledge one another and nod, before facing Arthur and smiling teasingly. Arthur mumbles something about needing to change his locks as Merlin rises from the couch having heard the timer that he set go off in the kitchen. Morgana slides over, closer to her brother, as she reaches for a sandwich and a napkin off of the coffee table.

"Arthur" she says opening the napkin across her lap "stop teasing us already and tell us how your date went".

Merlin emerges from the kitchen balancing the trays of promised food. Entering the living room he places the trays on the coffee table, swatting both Pendragons' hands away as they reach for the, still hot, nibbles. He ignores both of their scowls "Date details now, spring rolls later" he says. Arthur rolls his eyes but does as he's told.

"Guinevere and I had a wonderful time. Well…as wonderful a time as one can have on a first date, surrounded by thousands of loud, jeering fans. But football aside, I think we clicked very well". Smiling fondly at the memory of her in the car park he adds "She will be a great mother one day". Merlin and Morgana share a questioning look before Morgana turns to face her brother.

"…A great mother? You two have already discussed children on the first date?"

Arthur, still smiling, shakes his head. "No. It was something she did today. On our way to the pitch we happened upon a father and son leaving the park. The boy was sick and sad that he had to leave the stadium without ever getting to see Chelsea play. Guinevere got him to confess who his favourite footballer is and promised that she'd ask him to score a goal. You should have seen the way his little face lit up! Surely enough, Daniel Sturridge, his favourite player, scored the winning goal". He shakes his head remembering how the crowd erupted in joy, how Guinevere leaped into his arms in her excitement, how he held her tightly against him, bobbing her up and down and laughing into the air, fully enjoying their close contact. Although if anyone dared asked him he would say that they were just celebrating their team's victory "With Guinevere's insistence, of course".

"Of course" Morgana and Merlin chorus while nodding their heads.

"While we waited in line we chatted with this lovely married couple-"

"Ah. Double-date prospects so soon?" Merlin jests. Morgana slaps his arm playfully as the two laugh, only increasing their laughter at the sight of Arthur's glare.

"As I was saying…we chatted with a lovely married couple about love and chemistry…" Arthur pauses as Merlin and Morgana stare at him strangely.

"I probably should have mentioned that they mistook us for a married couple, too".

"Really?" Morgana gasps. "Not that I'm surprised; there is an obvious chemistry between the two of you. I just had no idea how strong".

"You know how excited Arthur gets when it comes to football" Merlin speaks as he plates some spring rolls and spinach dip with crudité before handing it to Morgana. "If Gwen shares the same passion in the sport as he does, it's hardly any surprise that they were mistaken for spouses".

He and Guinevere: 'spouses'. Arthur likes the sound of that.

* * *

><p>Mona, who upon her friend's insistence, was at Gwen's home. She flings the book she was studying to the couch when she hears Gwen's key unlocking the front door. She practically runs through the foyer to the door, unlocking it from the inside, and opens it for Gwen, springing from one foot to the other and smiling eagerly.<p>

"So" Mona drags the word out "How was our date?" she asks as Gwen enters the flat. Gwen looks at her friend and giggles.

"Mona, shouldn't you be 'studying like mad', as you put it earlier?" Gwen removes her parka, scarf and boots, hanging and storing them respectfully, away in the hall closet.

"Study break" Mona dismisses with a wave of her hand. She links her elbow with Gwen's as they walk down the foyer. "So tell us about your time with that blonde…_god_" She says it in such a shameless way that Gwen snickers and blushes a little, too.

"It was not a date" the barrister says unconvincingly as they stroll into the living room.

"Princess!" Gwaine exclaims as he emerges from the kitchen clad in a flour dusted apron with the doughy, floured hands to match. He and Elyan made the decision to leave the office early. It was a slow day. He had gotten the feeling that was due to the absence of his two beautiful colleagues. So Gwaine decided to stop by Gwen's to "help" Mona study. Talking her ear off while gently nipping at it was his contribution to her revising efforts. Only serving as more of a distraction than help, Mona admonished her boyfriend to the kitchen to make her a little study snack. Gwaine decided, it being his specialty (and the sole dish he knew how to prepare), to make soda bread.

"How was your date with Pretty Boy?"

Before Gwen could respond, Elyan appears from the right corridor drying his hands on a paper towel, having just exited the bathroom. He decided to tag along with Gwaine to Gwen's house; knowing that if the two were left alone, Gwaine wouldn't afford Mona the chance to get any studying done. But to be honest, Elyan also wanted to be there when his sister got back home from her outing with the detective, which he still knows very little about. He makes a mental note to interrogate the Pendragon in question later. "It was not a date" he says drily.

"We had a wonderful time on our date". Guinevere emphasizes the last word as she looks pointedly at her brother, who just rolls his eyes and heads toward the kitchen, and attempts to pull Gwaine with him. The latter shrugs out of his grip and walks over to the couch. Before he can open his mouth though, Gwen speaks first.

"Gwaine, I kindly ask you to be mindful of my furniture and flooring". She casts a pointed glance at his sticky, dough covered hands prompting the offender to look down at them.

"Oh. Ha…Forgot". Getting up from the couch Gwaine walks back toward the kitchen. "Don't start without me" he calls over his shoulder.

Mona rolls her eyes and looks over to Gwen seated in her recliner. "And they say _we_ like to gossip". The two women giggle at the sexist thought.

Moments later Gwaine reemerges from the kitchen with Elyan in tow. The latter walks over to the bookshelves lining the wall behind the sofa and makes a show of lazily skimming his index finger across a row of books before finally settling on one. The same book he reads every time he visits, Gwen notices with a roll of her eyes.

Reaching out and playfully slapping her knee Mona urges her friend to start dishing. "Go on Gwen. I'm over dying here".

"Yeah" Gwaine adds. "Spill it, Princess".

Elyan grunts from behind his book on the loveseat.

"Our date was lovely. You know, as far as ball games go" Gwen starts. "When we got to the stadium car park we met this father and his little boy who were on their way out before the game started. It turns out the little one wasn't feeling well so his father opted to take him home. But before he did, I tried to console him. I asked him who his favourite footballer was and promised him that I'd get the footballer to score for him". Mona coos from the couch and unbeknownst to Gwen, a small smile tugs at Elyan's lips from behind the book blocking his face.

"Ah. He was beyond himself with joy- you should have _seen_ the way his little face lit up. His father was so impressed by me he even went so far as to ask if Arthur and I had any children of our own".

"He didn't!" Mona gasps.

"You told him no of course" Elyan states after abruptly removing the paperback shield from his face. For a complete stranger to assume that his sister and her detective friend were parents together…Just _how_ _close_ is Gwen to this guy anyway?

"I told him we have two little ones with a third en route". Gwen glares at her overprotective little brother. His instinct to safeguard her is so cute when it's cute, but it certainly is not when it's not.

"Of course I said no, Elyan". Seemingly satisfied with her response Elyan resumes "reading".

"When we finally got to the pitch it was so loud that we practically had to scream at one another to be heard. But then again with Chelsea versus Man United, that's to be expected. Anyway, during half time Arthur bought us some chips, mini pizzas and coke…"

"Cheapskate" Elyan mumbles. Gwaine takes one of the couch pillows and throws it at him, landing it on the side of his head before it makes a soundless thump to the floor.

"Listen, El. I know it's been a while since you've been on a date…" The attorney glares at his newly monogamous colleague. "But those stadium foods aren't cheap; especially if you're buying for two".

"Thank you, Gwaine" Gwen exaggerates with a bow of her head. "Besides it's not like they have caviar or oysters on a half-shell at Stamford Bridge; and even if they did, it's a football game not a five star restaurant. I would've still chosen the chips and beer anyway".

"You had _beer_?" He says the last word with as much disapproval as he can manage.

"Elyan Leodegrance" Mona speaks sharply "If you do not stop with your Neanderthal behavior…" The lawyer looks over to his male colleague who discreetly shakes his head from side-to-side, letting him know to fold and walk away, before retreating, like a turtle into its shell, back to his book.

Mona turns her attention back to her friend. "Please continue, Gwen".

Gwen's lips quiver as if suppressing a laugh before she continues. "So we ate and chatted as the game went to extra time and eventually into penalty kicks. As I'd promised the little boy in the car park, Daniel Sturridge, his favourite player, scored the winning penalty for Chelsea" Gwen smiles remembering how she practically leaped into Arthur's strong arms, and how he caught her and laughed that boisterous laugh of his, as they celebrated their team's victory. "Although I had absolutely nothing to do with Sturridge's goal…"

"It doesn't matter. That little boy will always think you did, and all for him" Mona provides smiling ear-to-ear.

"Yeah" Gwen blushes. "Arthur feels the same way".

From behind his book Elyan can hear something in his sister's voice at the mention of Arthur's name: something that he hasn't heard from his sister's voice in such a long time. And it tugs at his heart. He never thought he would hear that kind of love in Gwen's voice again.

With his mind made Elyan decides that it is time to learn more about the man who has found his way into his sister's heart.


	22. Chapter 22

Gwen looks down at her phone and smiles, reading for the third time that day the text message that Arthur sent her.

**I had a great time last night. Parrain was right you know...I'm sure the sun stayed up all night consoling a cross moon; hence the gray clouds today. Anyway, just got a case. Gotta go. Morgana says 'hi'. Talk to you later, love :***

Relaxing back into her smooth leather office chair Gwen shuts her eyes as her mind drifts to her date with Arthur last night.

* * *

><p>She pauses for a few beats behind the door after he rings the bell not wanting to appear too excited. It has been two months since their first date back at the Chelsea Blues match. Two months since Gwen began admitting and allowing herself to embrace her true feelings for Arthur. That she loves him. She touches her cheek at the sudden yet familiar warmth that spreads there. The bell rings a second time, pulling her out of her pleasant thoughts. Opening the door Gwen gives her boyfriend a slow and thoughtful appraisal.<p>

Arthur looks smart and dapper in his well-tailored steel blue suit. The jacket, and crisp white linen shirt beneath, barely contain his broad, sculpted shoulder and chest muscles. The crimson silk tie accentuates the red tint of his full lips. His pants _just_ graze his powerful thighs. Gwen's eyes continue downward, past the sharp creases, and she finds herself slightly jealous of the fine wool fabric gracing his body. The trail of wool ends at the cuffs of his pants skimming his ankles. Matching steel blue silk socks disappear into a pair of dark rust wingtips.

The grin on Gwen's spreads as a blush creeps across Arthur's cheeks.

"_My,_ _my,_ Detective" she purrs "You sure do make a girl second guess herself".

Gwen is only teasing, curious to see what Arthur's reaction will be. She already knows that she chose the perfect garb for tonight's outing. A long sleeved cashmere ecru dress that hits at the knee and tastefully hugs her sensuous curves. The modest boat neckline shows off her delicate collarbones. Her curls are parted of center, to the left, and loosely gathered into a low bun at the nape of her neck with two ringlets softly whispering down the sides of her face. Opting for minimal jewelry Gwen only wears a pair of gold leaf shaped ear pins with a pair of strappy gold sandals to match. The look is capped off with a tiny leather wine coloured clutch that compliments her wine-stained lips perfectly. Gwen feels like a star. If Arthur's hungry gaze is anything to go by he approves of her look, too. She smiles demurely, shyly dipping her chin.

"Arthur. You're staring".

"Forgive me, Guinevere" he says clearing his throat. He _had_ been staring. But with such golden brown, shapely legs, with such a feminine, yet strong physique, such lush, kissable lips, and warm, brown, inviting eyes, who can blame him?

"At the risk of sounding absolutely primitive, I would want nothing more than to throw you over my shoulder, barricade you in this flat and mark every square inch of it with you". Guinevere's eyes nearly double in size and her face flushes red enough to rival Arthur's tie.

"Oh God" Arthur groans.

"No. It's...eh...It's okay" she laughs dismissively.

"No it isn't. Forgive me-".

"Arthur" she sighs and steps forward to place a reassuring hand on his cheek "Really. It's okay". Although the pair have been dating for two months now, they haven't yet consummated their relationship. The both of them, being a detective and an attorney, virtually on call twenty four seven was greatly to blame for that. If it wasn't a crime that needed Arthur's immediate attention, it was a client insisting on Guinevere's representation. Lunch dates were canceled, dinners were cut short. All in the name of public safety and the greater good. At this rate Arthur would have to commit a crime just to be with Guinevere sans interruption. The excuse of 'work getting in the way' would certainly work in their favour then.

Changing the subject, Gwen points to the lovely bouquet of soft orange tulips in Arthur's left hand. "I hope those are for me" she looks at him expectantly.

"Of course" Arthur, completely forgetting he had them, looks at the bundle of flowers in his hand as if they had just by magic materialized. He quickly hands them to Guinevere and she receives the bundle holding it briefly to her nose to inhale their sweet floral fragrance, thanking him with an even sweeter kiss on the lips.

"Let me go put these in water; I won't be a moment". As Gwen turns around Arthur gets the full brunt of the dress's attack. The boat neckline in the front plunges into a deep U in the back and anchor's at her waist. The tantalizing view of her glorious, smooth, sun-kissed gold skin is nearly the detective's undoing.

Rubbing a hand down his face he groans and looks up toward the night sky. "_Dear __God_. What have I done to be punished so? Is this because I've missed Mass for the past month? I didn't just hit the 'snooze' button, Lord. I _genuinely_-". At the approaching sound of Guinevere's sandals clicking against the hardwood floor Arthur stops his divine plea.

"Shall we?" Arthur steps aside to give Guinevere room to step over the threshold and outside to lock her front door. He offers her his right elbow and she slips her hand into the proffered nook as they descend the porch steps and walk for the car. Now late-March, the weather isn't nearly as brisk as it was a few months ago. But there's still a slight chill in the night air.

"Guinevere" Arthur asks just as they approach the car and he opens the passenger door for her "As heavenly as you look in it, I hope you don't catch a cold in that dress". Gwen dips into the car and positions herself into the passenger's seat, gracefully crossing her legs.

Coquettishly smiling up at the dashing detective, she murmurs "I'm sure you'll think of a way to keep me warm".

Uther Pendragon has had a standing reservation at 'La Lune', one of Albion's finest, and oldest, restaurants, for the past forty years. The four star eating house sits atop the roof of 'Grand Hotel Albion'. Walls and ceiling made solely of glass afford diners the most exquisite view of the cityline and the moon, which is how the restaurant came to be named. Victor Noir and Uther Pendragon met and became fast friends while at university. After graduating, Uther went on to law school while Victor, who'd lost his taste to pursue a law degree, opted to refine his palate in culinary school instead. Once he obtained his degree in criminal justice and joined the Albion police force, Uther was not only the first one to invest in his friend and his dream, but he and Elaine were the first customers to be served by Chef Victor at 'La Lune'. It became Uther and Elaine's favourite restaurant and was even the venue for their wedding reception. The pair shared many happy memories at the restaurant. It only made sense that after Elaine's death, Uther made rarer and rarer appearances at the eating house. Even after he remarried, he never dined with his second wife at the famed restaurant. But out of loyalty, friendship, and sentiment, Victor has kept the standing reservation for Uther and Elaine all these years just the same.

Tonight, at the senior Pendragon's insistence, Arthur has taken advantage of his father and late mother's dinner reservation. This is how Guinevere came to find herself with Arthur at Albion's most buzzed about eating establishment. Sure, she's been to 'La Lune' several times. But always on business; usually lunch meetings with clients or colleagues. Tonight however was sheer pleasure. For the first time Guinevere can actually see _la lune_ at 'La Lune', and the soft glowing orb is breathtaking. The waiter escorts the couple to an intimate corner table before discretely nodding to Arthur and disappearing into the kitchens. Arthur had already spoken with his godfather beforehand where the two decided on a truly delicious menu and planned an unforgettable evening all for Guinevere's benefit. Before Guinevere's hand can reach the back of the chair Arthur pulls it out for her, making a show of bowing and beckoning her to sit. He's rewarded with her lively giggle.

"You're such a showoff" Gwen whispers not unkindly across the table.

Arthur shrugs. "Only when it benefits me" he whispers back.

Guinevere takes a moment to look around her at the full house. Each table is lined with pearl white table linens, housing three votive candles in gold accented holders in the center. The restaurant floor is lined in Oriental carpet in an emerald, gold, and white colour scheme. The fully stocked bar near the back and to the right of the restaurant's main entrance is made of solid oak wood. Husbands and their wives, boyfriends and their girlfriends, girlfriends and their girlfriends, are all immersed in hushed conversations, laughter, eating and drinking, enjoying the food and the ambiance. Enjoying each other. The high chandeliers are dimly lit and most of the restaurants light comes from the large glowing moon and the flickering candles set on each diner's table.

"It's so much more lovely and subdued here at night. And the moon..." Gwen sighs "It's positively _beautiful _isn't it?"

Gently taking her hand in his, feeling that familiar shiver, Arthur brings it to his lips and softly presses a kiss against the smooth skin.

"What moon?" he asks never taking his smoldering eyes away from her. Gwen's cheeks flush as her heartbeat quickens. She smiles and playfully rolls her eyes at him.

"Arthur. You've already got the girl". Kissing her hand once more the detective releases it back to its owner. With a wolfish grin that nearly drives Guinevere _herself_ to howl at the moon, Arthur proudly declares,

"And I intend to keep it that way" and winks.

The evening, despite Arthur's initial nerves, goes off without a flaw. The menu, as decided earlier by he and the executive chef, consists of a frisée salad with warm bacon vinaigrette as their starter, followed by the Canard a l'orange for their entrée, with Pinot Noir as the wine pairing. They laugh and chat between bites and sips, trying hard to avoid talk of work. Last month, at Guinevere's adamant request, Arthur had called off the dogs and canceled her protective detail. She refuses to take Magnus's threats as anything but a bully's last attempt at a taunt. And a taunt is all it was seeing as he would likely never see her or the outside world again. The both of them are so en wrapped in one another and the delicious meal that they never once notice a seething Vivian with a dinner companion three tables over.

When the waiter arrives with their desserts Gwen's eyes light up as she licks her lips, confirming for Arthur that he made the perfect choice in crème brûlée. Gwen moans deeply at the first taste of the rich custard, attracting a few stares and hushed giggles. Meanwhile it's all Arthur can do to keep from leaping across the table to cover her mouth with his and give her something to _really_ moan about.

"I take it you like the crème brûlée?" the detective teases as he too takes a mouthful of the lemon flavoured custard.

"Mmm" Gwen closes her eyes moaning anew "You have no idea, my dear. It's been too long..." she digs her spoon into the thick crème for another taste "_Much_ too long".

'You're telling me!' Arthur thinks, not at all referring to dessert. Nothing on the menu anyway.

"I'm glad I made the right choice then" he says instead.

"The perfect choice" Gwen amends. "I loved the citrus theme throughout dinner, too. Mandarin orange segments-"

"_Suprêmes_" Arthur corrects her dramatically and looks over his shoulder in false panic "My godfather would keel over if he heard you call them 'segments'".

"Oh" Gwen says after her giggles subside "We wouldn't want that, would we?". Arthur nods in the negative and she continues.

"Mandarin _s__uprêmes _in the starter, orange in the entrée, and now lemon in the dessert. A bright menu very fitting of spring".

Arthur smiles indulgently at the woman who's stolen his heart since their first encounter. The day she wept vulnerably in his arms, pushed him away, and then challenged him. She's since opened herself up to him again, though not completely he senses, and she still challenges him. And Arthur's a better man for it.

"Godfather said that only a smart and attentive woman would appreciate something so subtle". Guinevere blushes at Arthur's praise.

"I didn't know that Chef Victor Noir is your godfather. With Merlin and the executive chef of La Lune feeding you, it's a wonder you're not more plump around the middle" Gwen jostles him.

"What do you mean by _more_ _plump_,Guinevere?"

The attorney laughs before saying "You know I didn't mean it like that. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with being a little soft in the waist".

"I agree. But _I_ am not".

Eying him coquettishly Gwen says "I suppose I'll have to be the judge of that". But before Arthur can utter his response, the executive chef in question is at their table.

"Arthur!" the English/Frenchman nudges his godson good playfully in the ribs. Victor stands six feet tall and medium build. His thick, once ink black hair is now mostly silver, cut short at the back and on the sides, with the hair on the crown and at the front of his head parted on the left side and swept in a neat wave to his right; though a lock of hair perpetually falls over his right green eye. Although now in his late fifties, he is still very much young and playful at heart.

"You told me your Guinevere is beautiful but you _grossly_ understated, Filleul". Ignoring Guinevere's surprised expression, Victor bows, picks up her free hand and brings it to his lips.

"La lune est très jalouse ce soire, ma fille" he says and kisses the back of Gwen's hand.

Having spent several summers in France with Elyan and Lance at Lance's family's home, Gwen's blush deepens when Victor tells her that the moon is jealous of her beauty this evening.

"De dire _merci_ serait son ingrats" Gwen replies kindly. Now it's Victor's turn to be surprised and he looks over at Arthur, who neglected to tell him that his girlfriend is fluent in French, before returning his gaze to Guinevere. She continues to say in French that although she is no stranger to the kitchen, tonight's meal ranks in her top three dining experiences. Victor is flattered and replies, again in his mother's native tongue, that given a second opportunity he would cook her a meal that would effectively make her forget the other two, to which all three of the table's occupants laugh heartily.

"Filleul" Victor pulls his gaze from Guinevere to address the detective "You must marry her. Quality such as hers" he looks at Guinevere again "you are blessed to find even _once_ in a lifetime".

Three tables away, Vivian's grip on the stem of her wineglass is so tight that constricting her hand any further would surely embed shards of glass in the tendons of her palm. Her date, who has had his eye on a fetching brunette at the bar for quite sometime now, is none the wiser. The blonde's gaze on Guinevere is so cold that Gwen actually shivers not even aware of the pair of glacial eyes surveying her. Instead Gwen fights off the cold feeling and keeps her face as neutral as possible. Arthur is watching her and she doesn't want to give him the impression that his godfather's words have affected her. Although they have.

Arthur eyes Guinevere carefully, patiently, until her eyes lift to meet his once more. Keeping his gaze steady on hers he responds.

"You've always been a wise man, Parrain. And you _know_ how I hate to disappoint you..."

Guinevere's heart is hammering against her ribcage as the implication of Arthur's intentions hangs in the air. Sensing her nerves Arthur winks at her and quickly changes the subject.

"Parrain. Guinevere loves the lemon crème brûlée; evident by her, _licked-clean_, ramekin". Under the table Guinevere swiftly kicks Arthur's shin causing him to chuckle and moan in pain. Gwen's brief state of nervousness and panic has passed and her liveliness is back in place.

Victor laughs lightly at their playfulness. It reminds him of the way Uther and Elaine would interact during their meals all those years ago.

"Ah" Victor says agreeably and looks over at Arthur, discreetly winking at him for the earlier statement he'd made about smart and attentive women. "You know I think I may have baked a few too many tonight".

On cue, "A shame for such lovely desserts to go to waste" Gwen says and sighs sadly, shaking her head from side to side.

Victor laughs richly and reaches over to pinch Gwen's cheek. "My sentiments exactly, ma chère". He winks at the smiling attorney and turns his attention to Arthur.

"I'll put two extra ones into a carry away box for Morgana and Merlin, too" turning back to Gwen he adds "else they would never forgive me for it".

"Well after tasting your brûlée for myself, I would have to side with _them_" Gwen reasons. Delighted and humoured by her charm Victor reaches over and pinches Gwen's cheek yet again.

"When you are ready to enjoy the crème, just sprinkle some caster sugar on top and place it under the broiler until you get a nice, golden brûlée".

"Thank you, Chef Noir. And thank you for such a delicious meal and warm hospitality" Gwen says taking his hand between both of hers. "It was truly a pleasure".

"The pleasure was all mine, ma chère" Victor bows and places a kiss on Gwen's cheek this time. "And please, call me Victor".

"Oh no. I couldn't possibly" Gwen declines politely.

"A bit old-school, non? I thought as much" he winks at her. "Then call me Parrain". Before Gwen can object a second time, Victor turns to Arthur. "Filleul".

Arthur stands to meet his godfather. "Parrain" he says and hugs him warmly. "As usual, dinner was superb". The moment the words leave Arthur's mouth his eyes lay squarely on Vivian. If looks could indeed kill he would be as cold and stiff as her glare.

"Remember what I said, Filleul" Victor, still hugging his godson, whispers into Arthur's ear "At last you've found a quality woman. The only way to keep her is to give her a reason to stay". Pulling away with a kiss placed on each of his godson's cheeks and acknowledging Guinevere one final time, Victor departs back to the kitchen chatting with a few other guests along the way.

Arthur reclaims his seat and stares imploringly into Guinevere's eyes, his godfather's words ringing in his ears.

'_The only way to keep her is to give her a reason to stay'_.

But he'd given Vivian a reason to stay, hadn't he? Blinking his eyes and shaking thoughts of his past failures away, he finds Guinevere looking carefully at him.

"Arthur, are you alright?"

"You wouldn't just...leave would you, Guinevere?" he asks so tenderly that Gwen's heart nearly breaks. Reaching across the table Gwen grabs a hold of his hand and entwines her fingers between his, stroking her thumb back and forth across his own until that forlorn look in his eyes vanishes. She smiles softly at him and he smiles back.

Apart from the soft instrumental jazz emitting from the car radio the drive home is fairly quiet. Gwen steals a glance at her chauffeur's profile and can see the tenseness in his jaw. Something at the very end of dinner upset Arthur but she doesn't know what and doesn't ask. Instead Gwen lays her hand on Arthur's knee. The tension slowly leaves his face and a calmness appears in its place. She leaves her hand there the entire drive home.

When they arrive in front of her home Arthur escorts Gwen to her front door. She fishes her keys out of her clutch and takes a deep breath before turning to face the detective again.

"Arthur. The answer to the question you asked is-" but before Gwen can finish her sentence Arthur dips his head and slants his mouth over hers. Using his free hand he presses her body flush against his kissing her with a passion, a hunger, and desperation that he's never done with before.

The first time they kissed he was so gentle and careful. The softness of his mouth against hers, with the way he gently nibbled her lips, and the way his tongue softly stroked hers as his fingers tenderly stroked her face. That first kiss left Gwen's knees weak and her stomach fluttering.

That was then.

This is now.

_This_ kiss is threatening to tip her world off of its axis. Arthur's mouth hungrily knocks on Guinevere's own until she opens her door, inviting him in. His tongue rushes forward, desperately seeking hers and when he finds it he kneads it passionately, like a skilled baker does his bread. Gwen matches each stroke, each rub, each suck with the same intensity, her hands cling desperately onto Arthur's lapels as if her life depended on it. When they finally break the kiss to give their selfish, needy lungs oxygen, their breath comes out ragged and Arthur touches his forehead to Guinevere's as they hold one another tight until their breathing steady's. Once his breath is level enough to speak Arthur only says seven words.

"Don't tell me, Guinevere. Just show me".

Giving her one final kiss to the forehead goodnight, Arthur pulls away and hands Guinevere the carry away box with her crème brûlée, the two of them sharing a quick shy laugh. He walks to his car, gets in, waves a final goodbye and drives away when Guinevere closes her front door safely on the other side.

* * *

><p>Gwen opens her eyes at the insistent knock on her office door.<p>

"Come in" she calls out, a smile at the memory of last night still on her lips. The smile dies as soon as Sylvester Barnes steps into her office. Standing up and rounding her desk Gwen greets him professionally, lacking her familiar warmth.

"Defense Attorney Barnes" she says extending a hand to her colleague. A bit disappointed, but completely understanding of her bristled tone, Sly extends his hand and accepts her firm handshake.

"Gwen" he says looking at her imploringly. "Where do I even begin?". The timbre of genuine remorse in Sly's voice softens Gwen. She offers him a seat and he gratefully accepts.

"Can I get you a coffee?"

"Please; black. I'd ask for something stronger but it's only half past noon".

"It's cocktail hour _somewhere_" Gwen jests making Sly smile and immediately putting him at ease.

"It's best I don't. I'm driving". Gwen nods understanding and walks over to the corner of her office where she keeps her coffee machine and dispenses a hot cup of black coffee for Sly and another with cream and sugar for herself before joining him back at her desk. Sly gladly accepts the hot cup of caffeine rich liquid and immediately takes a careful sip, savoring the soothing rich brew.

"You make a pretty good cuppa' java, Gwen".

Gwen accepts the compliment with a small shrug. "The four of us here practically live on the stuff. I've had lots of practice" she says.

Placing the cup down on Gwen's offered coaster, Sly removes his suit jacket, unbuttons the first two buttons of his blue silk shirt and rolls the sleeves up to his elbows before taking a deep breath and bringing his gaze back to Gwen's. She holds it steady and nods once encouragingly.

He tells all.

* * *

><p>As Arthur puts the finishing touches on his last case's report an urgent knock is heard on his office door.<p>

"Just another minute, Morgana" he says without looking up from the folder. At the sound of someone distinctly male clearing his throat Arthur looks up to see his boss, chief of detectives, Chief Oliver waiting at the open door. Signing the file and adding it to his completed pile Arthur stands, grabbing his badge and gun from his desk's top draw and secures both to his person.

"I was just leaving, Chief" he addresses his boss who only a few minutes ago gave he and Morgana their next assignment.

"Before you leave, Pendragon-"

'_Pendragon_' Arthur thinks 'This must be serious'.

"-there's something I wish to discuss with you" Chief Oliver says stepping into the office and closing the door behind him just as Morgana appears to fetch her partner. "Someone, rather. It's Vivian".

So that's the reason for his formal tone. Vivian no doubt told her father about her encounter with Arthur last night. He has no doubt that she fabricated, true to her modus operandi, the details of their brief brush last night at La Lune.

"What about her?" Arthur asks not caring to acknowledge his ex by name.

"This tiff between the two of you has gone on long enough. She called me last night _hysterical_ about seeing you at your and her special restaurant with another woman. I know my daughter is no saint- but neither are you, Pendragon. You two have had disagreements in the past, but have always seen sense and reconciled. Now she tells me you're dating _Guinevere_ _Leodegrance_ of all people.

Arthur's blood begins to simmer at the use of the word 'tiff' and continues when the chief says 'your and her special restaurant'. It bubbles still as the chief casually admits to his daughter being 'no saint'. But it is the disgust in senior detective's voice when he utters 'Guinevere Leodegrance' that brings Arthur's blood to a full boil, and that's when he loses it.

"This '_tiff' _between your daughter and I is of her making; or have you forgotten?" Arthur asks dangerously calm.

"I-" the chief starts.

"Shall I remind you, Chief Oliver, that it was _your_ _daughter_ that I found in our home, in _our_ _bed_, _fucking_ another man-"

"How _dare_ you-"

"How dare _you_" Arthur growls standing just inches from the chief's face "think that you have the authority to interfere in my personal life?!".

"It was _your_ _daughter_ who didn't see sense that day; although in her defense, she did show me the courtesy of removing her engagement ring before spreading her legs".

"So tell me, Chief Detective Oliver" Arthur vents between clenched teeth "Could you ever reconcile with a woman who betrayed you in such a cruel way?"

His lips in a tight line, nostrils flared and his chest heavily rising and falling with each breath, Chief Oliver thinks only of his daughter's pain; though admittedly self-inflicted. But still, Vivian is his daughter and only child. He must defend her even though her actions don't merit it.

"Perhaps if you were fulfilling all her needs she wouldn't have had to look elsewhere".

Arthur looks long and shrewdly at the man that he at one time would have loved to call his father-in-law and in that moment the resemblance between father and daughter has never been more genetic.

"And I have my answer". The detective inspector nods his head and steps away from the reddened man and toward the door. "But before I go- and I'll only say this once so let me make it very clear. My life outside of this department is not, nor will it ever be, your concern, Chief Oliver. I thank you to remind your daughter of that fact as well". Reaching the knob and opening the door to find quickly scattering police constables and detectives that had gathered around outside the office to investigate; lest they be accused of being poor at their jobs, Arthur finds Morgana standing there looking at him apprehensively. He winks at his sister reassuringly and offers her a small smile. Only then does she release the breath she'd been holding. Tugging her toward him Arthur plants a kiss on her forehead as they walk in stride toward the elevator.

* * *

><p>"So what did <em>Slime<em> want?" Gwaine is the first to ask once Gwen returns from escorting Sly out of the law firm. The devilishly handsome attorney, Mona, and Elyan are gathered in the latter's office waiting for Gwen before they can make a final decision on lunch plans.

"He wanted to know if we're hiring actually" Gwen says sauntering over to an empty seat. Gwaine looks as if his world just came crashing down around him and it's all Elyan can do to keep from falling out of his seat with laughter. Mona lightly swats his shoulder as she too tries to stifle her giggles.

"Gwaine" Elyan says trying to catch his breath "Sly's a defense attorney, remember? We're prosecutors. You have nothing to worry about, my friend".

Gwaine looks down sheepishly, embarrassed that he overlooked something so evident.

"It's not nice to tease your friends like that, Princess. Especially when they're hungry" he mockingly chastises Gwen.

"Do forgive me, love" Gwen pleads. She blows him a kiss to sweeten the pot and it works.

"So I've got two lovely lasses sweet on me, mate" Gwaine says to Elyan with a wolfish grin "Betcha' jealous, yeah?"

"Considering one of the lasses is my sister and the other practically is, no. Not jealous at all". Mona and Gwen snicker, shaking their heads at the two friends.

"Probably should've thought that one through a bit more" Gwaine admits scratching his temple.

"Probably" the others say in unison.

"Actually Sly was here to apologize" Gwen says answering Gwaine's initial question.

"Several months after the fact?" Mona sarcastically points out.

Gwen shrugs. "His antics in the courtroom were a puppet act and Vivian was the one pulling his strings. Apparently she had some incriminating photos of him".

"What kind of photos?" Elyan is afraid to ask.

"He paid his way through law school through exotic dancing". Mona's mouth curves suggestively as Gwaine's forms a scowl. "Vivian was there one night at the club he worked in and after his stage performance they went back to her place for a repeat, private performance".

"Even though the job was completely legit clients wouldn't exactly line up to have an attorney with that kind of past represent them. And Sly knew that. So did Vivian. He did his best to bury his past employment history but didn't count on Vivian taking a few photos of his act that night and keeping them as leverage all these years".

"She's always got an ace up her sleeve that one" Gwaine mumbles actually feeling sorry for Sly.

"Yeah" Gwen agrees. "So after Sly graduated from law school-"

"Vivian hired him".

"Right you are dear brother. She knew that one day she'd play her hand and when Magnus hired Sly as his attorney, that day had come. Vivian promised Sly the photos and the negatives if he discredited me at trial".

"But why did Vivian gun for you?" Mona asks completely baffled.

"Morgana told me that she and Arthur used to date. Apparently she wasn't too happy that Arthur and I were working so closely on Magnus's trial so she decided to do something about it".

"Even if it meant a killer could go free" Elyan states shaking his head unbelievably. "That woman is a disgrace to the profession".

"Her day of reckoning will come" Gwaine chimes. "I have no doubt about it".

"But Sly didn't discredit you" Mona remembers aloud. "You explained yourself to the court and Judge Firth sided with you".

"Right" Gwen nods in remembrance still thankful that Vivian's plans were thwarted.

"Since Sly failed to discredit you, surely Vivian reneged on her deal" Gwaine states.

"She did. But Sly got the photos and negatives anyway. It turns out that both he and Vivian use the same housekeeping service. And guess who always leaves a generous tip for his cleaning lady?". Gwen suggestively wiggles her brows.

"On the day of the trial Vivian hid the envelope containing the photos and negatives and tucked it between her mattress. My guess, to quickly retrieve it and hand over to Sly once he stopped by her place after court that day. After the trial was over and Vivian discovered Sly didn't discredit me, she didn't even bother to hide the photos back in their original hiding place knowing that Sly wouldn't be dropping by after all. That very weekend the cleaning woman happily pilfered the envelope at Sly's request and he submitted his transfer papers to Vivian soon after, effectively cutting all ties with that evil witch".

"Haha! Attaboy, Sly!". Elyan, Gwen, and Mona all turn shocked faces to Gwaine.

"What?! You know I detest Vivian more than I do Sly" Gwaine reasons. "Besides he doesn't sound like such a bad lad after all".

"So" Gwen drags the word eying Gwaine suspiciously "Once Vivian discovered the missing photos she tried to have the cleaning woman fired, but since there was no proof that she actually stole the photos her claims were unfounded. The cleaning woman refused to go back, wishing to no longer work for a woman who accused her of being a thief" Gwen grins wickedly "and Sly's been doing some pro bono work in the meantime, giving back to the community until he lands back on his feet at another firm".

"Good for him" Elyan says truly meaning it. "Now" he claps his hands and rub them together "I don't know about you all but I could really murder a burger and chips". At the hungry moans of agreement from the others they all decide on a local burger shoppe for lunch.

* * *

><p>Being in prison for several months now, Magnus should be excited at the prospect of getting his first visitor from the free world. Upon discovering that the visitor in question is just his lawyer he reserves his enthusiasm for a more worthy guest. When the prison guard leads him to the private room reserved for clients and their solicitors Magnus is surprised to discover that Sly Barnes isn't sitting across from him, but a ruddy faced, spectacled, pudgy, balding man is in his stead.<p>

"Who the hell are you?" he roughly asks sitting down. Once the guard is out of earshot the solicitor wastes no time in stating the premise for his visit.

"Mr. Romney" he speaks calmly "Word is you have a score to settle with the female Leodegrance". At the mention of Guinevere Magnus's entire body tenses. He grinds his back teeth so hard that the hinges of his jaw threaten to pop. His fists tighten to the point that his knuckles are void of colour and blood. He actually begins trembling with the effort to contain his rage. Magnus has thought only two people since he's been imprisoned: his son Jonah, and the woman responsible for their estrangement.

"If you can get five minutes alone with that bitch..." Magnus snarls menacingly "Just five minutes".

Smiling satisfactorily, and revealing short, decaying teeth, the lawyer continues. "_That_ he cannot guarantee. But he can help in other ways".

"Who is _h__e_?" Magnus asks suspiciously narrowing his icy glare at the shady looking attorney.

"He has a job for you" the lawyer continues avoiding answering his client's question. "There's an inmate here to be released in a few weeks' time. Tell him there's a job lined up for him for which he will be handsomely compensated".

"What job? And what's _bloody_ in it for me?" the prisoner counters harshly.

"I'll be in touch with the details" the solicitor continues unphased and again neglects to answer the question. Magnus doesn't seem to care though and can only think of his pay back to Guinevere. Judging by the looks of his new attorney something tells him that his revenge will be extra sweet.

"This inmate, yeah?" Magnus eagerly asks "What's his name?".

"Myron Crook".

The sadistic smile that threatens to split Magnus's face causes the shady lawyer's own grin to falter.

"I _did_ say I would have you, Ms. Leodegrance, _didn't_ I?".


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: This chapter contains some sensitive subject matter.**

**I would also like to take this moment to thank all of the faithful readers of 'Above The Law', the new readers/reviewers and those adding me to your favourites lists, as well as the guest readers/reviewers. Thank you very much for following me on this ****literary**** journey. Your words, ****your encouragement ****and your support means a great deal to me.**

**Happy reading.**

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><p>"I'm sorry you had to relive that, Arthur" Morgana offers her partner kindly. "With that tart's father no less" she concludes less kindly. Arthur was none too happy, either, having to recall the details leading to him terminating his marriage engagement to Vivian with her father; although he had already discovered the details of his daughter's betrayal soon after the wedding planner briefly met the chief for tea and returned to him his cheques to the florist, caterers and pastry chef. She'd received the call from a hungover, but sober Arthur the morning after he'd kicked Vivian out of their home that the wedding was off. But seeing the chief's face reddened with anger during their face off in Arthur's office wasn't all that upsetting to the inspector. The fact that by now the entire police department knows the real reason why the inspector had called off his wedding, and not that <em>he<em> was the one who needed more time in a small boat with a fishing pole to catch the proverbial plenty of fish in the sea, as so many had suspected, is what disturbs Arthur.

Coming to a stop at a traffic light he shrugs and turns to Morgana. "You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything I feel a little sorry for the _Chief_" Arthur says genuinely before lightly chuckling at the look of confusion across Morgana's face. "He's probably sick of seeing how discontent his daughter is since our breakup. I was good to her and I was good _for_ her. Now that she's finally realized it, it's too late. And it hurts her. So it hurts him". The traffic light changes and the detective resumes driving.

Shaking her head in wonderment Morgana speaks. "You truly are a good man, Arthur. Vivian never deserved you- I've maintained that from the very beginning".

"I know" Arthur cuts in sighing a laugh.

"Yet she had you nonetheless" Morgana resumes "Mind, body and spirit. And what did she do? She cast it all to the wind. But that's all right" Morgana bobs her head smiling tenderly "Because what one woman no longer cherishes, another woman will. And I don't even have to look at you right now to see that grin on your face at just the mere mention of Gwen". Turning her head to the right Morgana indeed catches Arthur smiling contently at the thought of Guinevere.

"I'm so glad it was Gwen... I've liked her from the very beginning you know" the detective sergeant states.

Smoothly navigating the road Arthur nods. "I know" he tells his sister. "Me too".

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><p>Elena and Felicia exit the former's car and wait for the crossing light to change before crossing the street to walk the short path to Albion State Park. The physician's assistant and the pediatric nurse are meeting their partners there for lunch. Elena and Lance began dating almost two months ago after the computer analyst discovered Elena's favourite coffee shop and as a secret admirer, he had her favourite coffee delivered to her at the hospital for an entire week right before her busiest morning and evening shifts. On the seventh night Lance revealed his identity, hand delivering the rich hazelnut concoction to the happily surprised and blushing physician's assistant and asked her out to dinner that night, and every week since then.<p>

Merlin and Felicia's uniting was a bit different. The nurse had caught on to the medical examiner's ruse of volunteering at Albion General Hospital _solely_ out of love for his uncle Gaius. It could have been Merlin's crooked grin, or his perpetually disheveled thick black locks, his big blue orbs, or maybe it was those ears, so jumbo, that made him look every bit as adorable as the famous animated elephant named after the noun that propelled Felicia do what she did several weeks ago... Maybe it was the combination of the four that drove Felicia, the otherwise shy pediatric nurse, to practically tackle Merlin in the hospital stairwell, lacing her fingers through those lush locks, pulling the medical examiner's head down to hers and kissing him bravely on the mouth. Felicia had said that at the rate Merlin was going, always coincidentally bumping into her at the pediatrics and obstetrics ward; although Dr. Gaius is chief surgeon of the hospital's _operating _department, she would have been wedded with a family before he admitted his feelings for her. After Merlin recovered from the wonderfully unexpected osculation Felicia told him that her shift would be over at seven that evening, to which Merlin sheepishly replied that he'd already known, and that they could grab a bite to eat afterward. Merlin agreed and with another quick peck to his full lips Felicia bid him farewell and all but skipped happily back to the infants ward, while Merlin descended the steps by threes and had already dialed Arthur and Lance on a three way phone call to share the news by the time he exited the hospital's main entrance.

The park is fairly populated with young children flying their kites, playing football, tag and hide-and-go-seek among other games with parents and caretakers keeping a watchful eye over them. The sky is cloudy but the air is still pleasant and breezy which is why Felicia and Elena aren't too worried or surprised while approaching their waving boyfriends to find Merlin's ambitious picnic. Arriving at the small cloth-lined park table the girls exchange greetings with the guys.

"Merlin" is all Felicia gets out before the medical examiner captures her mouth with his in a brief, sweet kiss. "Merlin" she continues "as much as I adore your cooking we only have a one hour lunch break; forty minutes if you deduct time for Elena's and my drive back. You didn't have to go through the trouble of a picnic, dear".

"It was no trouble at all" Merlin says as he and Lance guide Felicia and Elena to sit before sitting themselves. "I cooked and prepared most of the food last night, packed them in throw away containers, and kept them chilled in the refrigerator. That's the brilliance of a picnic! Eating cold food is actually encouraged. As it's only the four of us I didn't make a lot of food, but I did bring a nice variety. Here" Merlin opens the first container "we have a mixed green salad".

"Ooh!" Elena squeals with delight. "You put raw green beans in it. I _love_ that added texture, don't you?"

"Absolutely divine" Felicia agrees.

"German potato salad" Merlin continues opening the next container "which I actually made this morning to serve it warm. It tastes much better that way. Heirloom caprese, stone fruit medley" opening the final container with a flourish Merlin says, "and the pièce de résistance, the fried chicken". The ladies moan with each delicious reveal and Merlin has to fight himself from beaming too hard.

"Felicia you lucky, _lucky_ woman" Elena says in mock envy.

Giggling and winking up at Merlin Felicia replies, "I know".

Tired of Merlin getting all the attention Lance speaks up. "I contributed to this picnic, too you know".

"Oh" Elena says scanning the table for more food. "What did _you_ bring, sweetheart?"

"Well apart from my handsome face-"

"Oh God" Merlin drawls.

"I brought the plates, the eating utensils, the-"

"Booo! Booo!..." Elena, Felicia and Merlin jeer in unison.

"The cups" Lance continues over their taunts "and the libation. Unless of course you all plan on eating all of this food and having nothing to wash it down with. I can just take my lemonade back home thank you very much".

"You will do no such thing!" Felicia commands through her giggles.

"I've actually tried the lemonade" Merlin chimes "It's quite good".

"Now I'm _really_ impressed" Elena directs at the computer analyst.

Winking with a half smile he answers, "It's my maternal great-grandmother's recipe. She was a lovely Haitian woman who loved to cook, bake, make drinks- she just loved being in the kitchen. One day she put vanilla extract in her lemonade to make it special and to stand apart from that of my father's grandmother. It was a hit and became the preferred way to have lemonade in our family. I'm now responsible for keeping the recipe alive, and I only make it for people I like. Although right now neither of you are strong candidates". Merlin, Felicia and Elena fall into laughter. Lance smiles at them and soon starts to chuckle himself. After asking Merlin for the plates and serving spoons Lance begins to plate his friends' food and they are soon eating, laughing and enjoying their spring picnic lunch.

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><p>Arriving at the crime scene, Arthur and Morgana find Constables Percival and William along with several other arresting officers already there. PC Gunner has the female suspect handcuffed but has not yet escorted her to the back of the police squad car, like the other four male suspects who have already been accommodated as such. Walking past the apprehended woman Arthur and Morgana walk toward the ambulance vehicle where a young girl is being wheeled on a gurney, crying and shivering under a blanket. An older African-Caribbean woman is walking alongside the gurney holding the young girl's hand and stroking her hair gently with the other, trying to comfort her with kind words. Constable William approaches the detectives with a notepad in hand.<p>

"Sergeant" he addresses Morgana "Inspector" he addresses Arthur.

"Constable" the detectives acknowledge him in return.

"What have we got here, William?" Arthur asks.

"The endangerment and welfare of a minor, of a sexual nature" he nearly whispers. William had only joined the Albion Police Force less than one year ago and until then had been assigned the "softball" cases. Before today the most heinous crime scene he'd had to assess was when two male senior citizens were having a row (involving their canes) over which one of them was eating the most potatoes from their communal garden. It turned out that the accused was innocent, and a teenaged boy gardening from the same communal garden was the thief. He'd discovered how much the two men love the potatoes and out of boredom decided to have a little fun by picking all of the potatoes, stashing them away and waited in the tool shed, camera in hand, to record the altercation. "Grumpy Granddads Garden Gripe" went viral and became one of the most viewed videos on the Web.

William clears his throat now and continues in a surer voice. "We received a call from a concerned neighbor. Over several months she has observed gentlemen coming in and out of the apartment of Crystal Clark, the suspect, and suspected she was servicing these men sexually for money. She says she didn't call the coppers on Crystal because she didn't have any concrete proof. When Crystal's men would come by, Delores, the witness, would have Malory come over to her place to keep her from seeing her mother work. After a while Malory stopped coming over to Delores's home and started going to the library instead. But last week Delores started seeing more and more men and less of Malory and that's when she knew..." William's voice trials off.

"Her mother started selling her, too" Morgana concludes and the constable nods. A rage so fierce boils over in Morgana that she begins to tremble. She begins walking over to constable Percival where the cuffed woman still stands then stops. Morgana looks at the woman long and hard and as much as she wants to hurl obscenities and even a few blows at the older woman, the detective turns around instead and walks over to the ambulance where the abused daughter and neighbor are. Morgana boards the back of the ambulance and rides to the hospital with Malory to take her statement.

"Thank you, Constable William" Arthur says finally. "I'll get a copy of your report back at the station".

"Yes, sir" William says before walking back to his squad car.

Arthur's face is hard and set like cold stone as he approaches the handcuffed woman. Standing before her he looks her straight in the eyes. "Why?" is all the inspector demands.

"Why not?" comes the cold reply. "The world we live in is a cold and cruel place. I'm Malory's mother, better I be the one to teach her that that someone else, yeah?"

"You're her mother!" Arthur barks "You're supposed to protect her!"

"And what about me?!" Crystal yells back her voice trembling "Why didn't my mum protect me when "Uncle Joe" started playing house with me? Who was there to protect _me_ when she started charging admission and put a turnstile on my bedroom door? Where were the coppers then, huh?!"

Arthur stares at the defeated, tortured woman who now has tears streaming down her face. Her stringy, fried, bleached hair, her sunken bleak blue eyes, her deeply creased and sun weathered face, decaying teeth, healing bruises on her limbs. She had indeed lived a hard life. If Arthur were to assume, she could be thirty six years old- only a few years older than him. Yet she appeared to be at least ten years older than that. For a moment he felt sorry for the woman. Only for a moment, before he thought again of her fifteen year old daughter. A young girl whose life would be forever changed.

"Your mother sounds like a demon" Arthur mutters.

"Ha!" Crystal laughs bitterly through her tears "She made Lucifer look as if he'd never fallen from grace".

"But you're no different, Ms. Clark. You took your daughter, along with her trust, all her love, all her innocence, and you threw her to the wolves". Arthur shakes his head in dismay. "Just months ago, I had a case where a mother died- stabbed, strangled and beaten to death by her husband, protecting her son. She was a true mother. You...You are your mother". Crystal's shoulders sag lower and her tears start anew.

Looking at her with a mixture of disgust and pity, "Take her away", Arthur says, and Percival does.

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><p>Guinevere phoned Sabrina Lucas-Scott earlier in the week to see how the woman was doing after the trial. Sabrina lost a twin sister and best friend, and then became an aunt and adoptive mother all in the span of a few months. Her entire life had been disrupted both for the worse and for the better. After the phone call Sabrina invited Guinevere over to her home for supper. Now pulling into Sabrina and Matthew's driveway Gwen shuts off her car's engine before reaching over to the passenger's seat and grabbing the biscuit tin. As Gwen shuts and locks her door a sense of calm washes over her. The neighborhood looks very inviting and colourful, and she can see some of the neighbors have children as well, evident by the lawn toys in their front yards. Jonah has loving parents and grandparents, and surely he'll have plenty of friends. He has a comfortable, normal life. Tilly would be happy. Guinevere walks up the short cobblestone path leading to the brick house then lifts and drops the golden doorknocker on the front door three times.<p>

"Hello, Gwen" Sabrina greets the attorney warmly.

"Sabrina, how are you?" Gwen greets her returning the hug and pulls back.

"It's more practical" Sabrina offers when she sees Gwen eying her newly cut shoulder-length bob.

"It suits you well" Gwen nods approvingly. "You look lovely".

Sabrina blushes. "Thank you" she says.

"I brought French macaroons as an after dinner treat" Gwen says handing Sabrina the small tin of pastries.

"I could kiss you!" Sabrina exclaims. "I haven't had a French macaroon in ages".

Smiling Gwen says, "Then I chose right".

"You sure did" says Sabrina. "Come on in". As she ushers Gwen into the house Jonah comes running from the back of the house and down the corridor with a gift in hand. Gwen's eyes light up and she smiles just as brightly to see how happy and healthy Jonah is. Closer to three years of age now, he's grown a little since Gwen last saw him.

"Hi!" he says excitedly when he reaches the front door.

Kneeling down to meet his height Gwen greets the little boy just as warmly. "Hello, cutie pie".

"For you" Jonah says handing Gwen the edible gift.

"For me?" Gwen asks excitedly. Jonah bobs his head up and down.

Taking a bite Gwen moans. "Mmm. I love chocolate biscuits. Did you make this, Jonah?"

"Yes" he replies shyly.

"Did you have help?" Gwen asks eying him skeptically but maintaining a small smile. He nods again and points toward the back of the house in the direction he came from where two smiling faces stand at the kitchen's entrance.

"Ah" Gwen looks up and smiles "Grandma Lucas and Grandma Randall helped you bake the biscuits".

"Yes" Jonah confirms.

"I'm afraid my macaroons will be an afterthought with cookies this good. Thank you again, Jonah. They're delicious".

"'Welcome, Ms. Gwen" Jonah says sweetly and all four women coo, making the toddler blush even more.

"I go now?" he asks he says pointing toward the back of the house.

"Yes; you've done your duty. You may go now" Gwen says before reaching up to ruffle his tousled wheaten locks.

"Bye". He waves at the barrister before dashing off toward the back of the house, past his two doting grandmothers and outside the open kitchen screen into the backyard.

Standing up from her kneeling position Gwen puts the cookie into her mouth, removes her jacket and takes the cookie out again as she speaks. "He is too precious for words, Sabrina. I doubt there is a dull moment with him in the house".

"Right you are" Sabrina agrees and takes the jacket from Gwen to hang in the hall closet. "Matthew and I couldn't ask for a happier child".

"How _is_ Matthew?" Gwen asks.

"He's great. Fatherhood suits him very well, and he just _adores_ Jonah. He spoils him, too; buying gifts for him almost every weekend". Sabrina smiles. "He's on his way home from work and will be joining us for supper". Gwen and Sabrina walk down the large hallway toward the two older women and Gwen exchanges warm greetings with Ms. Lucas and Mrs. Randall. Sabrina had invited her mother and Mrs. Randall to her home for supper as well as Gwen. Reaching the kitchen the four women sit around the island and chat while Sabrina periodically checks on the roast in the oven.

"Mrs. Randall, how have you been?" Gwen asks kindly.

"I've been well, dear. I've taken a part-time post at the library where Tilly used to work. I can feel her spirit there, among the books. It's where she was happiest" the elder woman says and all the women smile wistfully, nodding in agreement. "I sometimes take Jonah there with me. Oh you should see him, Gwen! He _loves_ to read. He mostly makes up his own stories to go along with the pictures he sees- as he can't read many words yet. But it's a joy for him nonetheless".

"It's true" Ms. Lucas chimes "When he's over at my home we spend hours in Tilly's attic library. It's like my little girl is calling to him in a way". She sighs then they all smile and look toward the screen when they hear Jonah's giggles coming from the back yard.

"He's probably found another butterfly" Sabrina assumes "He loves to chase them".

"And how is Jonah with you, Sabrina?" Gwen asks.

"He loves me". She smiles tenderly. "But he thinks I'm Tilly. Yes, I am his mum; legally. But I try to tell him that I am Auntie Sabrina as well. He's too young to truly understand what identical twins are, that two different people can have the same face. I often feel like I am misleading him".

"No, dear" Mrs. Randall offers taking Sabrina's hand in hers "You're not. Yes you look exactly like Tilly, but it's the love you have for him that Jonah feels. That's why he calls you 'Mum'. In time you can tell him the truth, but don't feel like you are misleading him- because you're not, love. You're doing the best you can with Tilly gone. We all are". Gwen sits back and smiles at Mrs. Randall. She's right: they are all coping as well as they can since Tilly's death.

By the time Matthew gets home the dining room table has already been set and the meal is ready. Jonah runs toward the front door as soon as he hears the keys and from the way that Matthew's face lights up as he crouches to the ground and opens his arms wide, Guinevere can see that Tilly's boy is the family's joy.

After supper Gwen bids everyone farewell, and Jonah is even brave enough to give her a hug and a peck to the cheek before scurrying to hide behind Sabrina's skirt. It is after six in the evening and Guinevere knows that Arthur's shift is over so she decides to phone him as she walks to her car.

"Hey, love" Arthur answers a bit tiredly after the third dial. Gwen smiles at his wanting to sound affectionate even through his fatigue.

"You sound tired, Arthur".

Arthur sighs through the phone. "I should have become a chef" he says humourlessly. Gwen thinks back to the night when they were in his office and he told her the funny story behind him losing his interest to pursue culinary arts. But all the humour is gone now.

"Are you still at the station?"

"I'm on my way home now" Arthur says.

"I can...come over if you want to talk" Gwen says hesitantly. There is a long pause on Arthur's end of the phone but Gwen can hear his breathing- the change in it.

"If you come over, Guinevere...I can't guarantee we'll talk at all". Now the pause is on Gwen's end and _her_ breath quickens as she bites her lower lip in delicious anticipation.

"I'll see you in a little bit" she answers before ending the call.


	24. Chapter 24

**AN: Hello my friends. So this is the chapter that we (yes: myself included) have all been waiting for. Now if you would kindly look to the upper right corner of your page you will note that the rating for 'Above The Law' ****is now**** changed and for very, **_**very**_**, good reason.**

**So without further ado I present to you Chapter 24: All ArWen. No filler.**

**Happy reading.**

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><p>The clouds had been gathering all day, getting grayer and heavier with wet promise, building in momentum for the inevitable rainstorm. When it finally rained it certainly poured.<p>

Guinevere was soaked to the bone. Her umbrella, left behind at her office, wouldn't have been of much function in the storm anyway. She had thrown her trench coat over her head to shield herself from the rain and wind but her efforts were futile. By the time Gwen had parked her car and jogged the remaining distance to Arthur's apartment complex the heather gray coat turned slate from all the rainfall and was drenched. Her linen skirt and silk blouse had clung to her like a second skin; and revealed the imprint of her lace bra beneath. Gwen's lively curls had been heavily dampened with rain and stuck to the sides of her face, her neck, down her collarbone and shoulders. That was how Arthur, on his way down to the lobby to go and wait for her, found Guinevere at his door. His eyes had traveled the entire length of her body, and took in every detail: from her shivering shoulders, her quivering lip, her bronze, toned glistening legs, to the stray tendril of hair where a constant drip of water fell between the swell of her breasts. Arthur had wanted to wick away each delicious drop with his tongue.

"Arthur, aren't you going to invite me in?" Gwen had said "I'm freezing". Snapped out of his wicked thoughts he'd quickly apologized.

"Sorry, Guinevere. O f course. Come in". He'd ushered her into his flat and closed the door behind them. Arthur'd quickly taken her trench coat and walked to the hallway closet, drew a hanger and disappeared down the hall toward the other end of his flat into the main bathroom to hang the dripping coat over the bathtub. Gwen had removed her wet pumps and had taken that moment to scan her surroundings. She'd never been to Arthur's home before. It was very spacious for a bachelor's pad. The long hallway was painted in light gray and as she'd walked further down the corridor and turned to her right, Gwen discovered the living room was painted in the same hue. A navy blue area rug covered most of the hardwood floor and the sofa set was of leather in a dark brown colour; complete with a small coffee table of smoked glass and cherry wood. Bookshelves lined the wall behind the sofa. 'Just like mine' Gwen had thought with a smile.

Two lit lamps stood in opposite corners of the wall across from the bookshelves where a pair of French windows led to a small terrace. The final wall facing the sofa featured the entertainment center where Arthur's LCD television was mounted to the wall directly above a smoked glass and cherry wood case, matching the coffee table, which housed his video gaming system, Blue- ray and CD players along with his video game, movie and music collections.

Arthur reemerged from the bathroom and had caught Guinevere admiring a photo of him and his father on the wall next to the television. "I'll give you the grand tour" he'd said "after we get you some dry clothes". The detective's flat was so warm that Gwen had momentarily forgotten she'd just come in from a rainstorm. But the sight of the puddles she'd left in her path that led from the hallway to the living room reminded her once more.

"Oh God" she'd said looking down at the mess she'd made "I'm no better than a dog tracking mud into the house". Gwen had reached a hand up to her hair then and ran it down the slick tresses. "I'm sure I _look_ like a wet dog right now, too".

"Don't worry about the mess" Arthur had said and ignored her 'wet dog' comment. To him, standing there in her wet clothes molded to her body, in the soft light of the living room's lamps, Gwen'd looked so vulnerable and yet so enticing. 'If you come over Guinevere...I can't guarantee that we'll talk at all'. Arthur's words had reverberated at the back of his mind and his cock had stirred hopefully in his pants. "It's nothing a towel can't fix". Gwen relaxed then and smiled as she'd followed Arthur down the hallway.

"The man in the photo with you" Gwen had pointed behind her down the hall toward the living room where the picture she'd been looking at hung "Is he your father?" she'd asked.

"Yes" Arthur smiled then "Uther Pendragon. But in the presence of very beautiful women he likes to pretend that we are brothers, so don't be surprised if he calls me 'little bro' when you two meet". Gwen's rich laugh echoed down the hall as they'd walked.

"Here" he'd said once they'd reached the hallway closet and he handed her a plush towel and a change of clothes. "Merlin, Lance and Leon crash here quite a bit so I'm always well stocked on t shirts and boxers. I'm afraid I don't keep any girly clothes on hand. I hope you don't mind..."

"Not at all" Gwen did say "Give me a pair of fuzzy slippers and a cardigan and I'll feel right at home".

"Fuzzy slippers. Cardigan. I'll add them to the list" Arthur'd said confidently and Gwen's mild surprise gave way to a shy smile.

"My bedroom" Arthur'd turned to his right and opened the door leading to the spacious room where he'd left one of the beside lamps on. The walls were the same light gray colour as those of the living room and hallway. White sheer curtains concealed a pair of French windows that opened to yet another balcony. On a hot summer's night Gwen imagined Arthur sleeping with the windows open, welcoming the warm night's breeze. A small smile tugged at her lips when she imagined herself tucked into his arms in the same bed enjoying the same warm breeze. The room was minimally furnished. A cherry wood king sized canopy bed took center stage on the hardwood floor, with a wooden storage chest at the foot of it. The bed linen set was crisp and white and the canopy curtain was crimson red. Two bedside tables flanked both sides of the headboard and a tall wooden wardrobe off to a corner of the room completed the set. That's all. There was no television, no work desk, no computer; even the phone, evident by the phone jack and connecting cord that was near one of the bedside tables, was hidden in the table's top drawer. It was clear that Arthur's bedroom was his sanctuary and he kept work and the outside world as far out of it as possible. Gwen'd looked to her left and saw a closed door which she'd presumed led to the master bathroom.

"Nice room" she'd voiced. "Lots of space to move around, too. And I like how you don't keep a TV in your room; neither do I. It makes sleeping a lot easier, doesn't it?"

"Precisely" Arthur'd agreed. "But sometimes if I'm restless, and a book doesn't do the trick, I'll pull out my laptop and pop in a DVD. Contrary to scientific research, something about the light of the bright screen lulls me to sleep some nights".

"I know what you mean" Gwen'd said "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates is usually my DVD lullaby of choice". She and Arthur had shared a laugh at that.

"Alright, love. If you stay in those wet clothes any longer I'll have to nurse you through a flu" Arthur had joked. "You can change in here and I'll go make us some tea".

"Okay" Gwen had giggled "I won't be a moment" she'd said. Arthur had closed the door behind him before he headed toward the kitchen. He didn't know why he had offered that Guinevere change in his room when the main bathroom and the guest bedroom adjacent to his were perfectly suitable options. The longing ache in his loins could have had something to do with his choice. Or maybe it was just the thought of having Guinevere in his room, in his space, his private oasis that had pleased Arthur so. If he was lucky her sent of wild honeysuckle that he'd come to love would linger in his bedroom and lull him to sleep or drive him to delicious, wicked thoughts. Either way, he would sleep with a smile on his face. Arthur had gone halfway down the hall when he realized that he had not asked Guinevere how she took her tea. She would no doubt be taking her precious time; didn't all women do? By the time Guinevere would be finished freshening up in the master bathroom Arthur would have had the tea and a few nibbles ready for them. Armed with that thought the detective had backpedaled to his bedroom and walked right in...

"Guinevere!" Arthur says startled. The barrister in question is standing at the foot of Arthur's bed with her blouse and skirt pooled around her ankles, now clad solely in a black lace demi-bra and matching panties. Earlier in the living room Guinevere looked vulnerable, shivering in her wet clothes. Now in the soft glow of lamp light, with her towel-dried wild curls softly cascading down her shoulders, the rain, wind and thunder raging just beyond the windows, she looks like a storm Siren and Arthur is completely under her spell. The bulge between the Pendragon's thighs stirs to life harder and stronger than before.

"I...I...uh...I thought you would be getting dressed in the bathroom" the detective croaks huskily. Gwen's eyes twinkle in satisfaction at the sound of desire in the detective's voice and she bits the corner of her bottom lip as her eyes land on the very _concrete_ evidence of his arousal through his gym trunks. Carefully stepping out of the pool of fabric around her ankles, Gwen approaches Arthur slowly; seductively, her hips swaying rhythmically with each step until she stands just inches from his broad, visibly rising and falling chest.

"I didn't think you would mind if I disrobed out here in the open" her voice comes out in a throaty whisper. "Had I known you were going to barge through the room like you did-"

"I'm sorry. I should ha-" Gwen silences Arthur softly pressing her slender finger to his full lips.

"I would have left the door open for you" she concludes as if uninterrupted. Arthur looks genuinely puzzled at Gwen. "I know what I want, Arthur, and it's not tea" she says, effectively dismissing the notion that the two of them would be spending their first night together in his home chatting the evening away over steaming cups of brew. Granted Arthur did invite Guinevere over to talk about work. Then again, _she_ was the one who suggested she come over and _he_ was the one who hinted; promised more or less, that there wouldn't be much talking involved. If Guinevere wanted tea she could have stayed home. Placing both of her hands on his broad, sculpted chest and feeling his thunderous heartbeat under her left palm, Gwen glides her palms upward, skimming Arthur's neck until her hands rest tenderly on his firm jawline. "I want you Arthur". Looking up at him through heavily hooded eyes Gwen can see his own piercing blue orbs are now midnight blue; dark with desire.

"Make love to me, Arthur". She can feel the head of his cock nudge her stomach just as a roar of thunder drums against the sky outside. But apart from that the detective makes no movement at all, almost as if unsure of himself or unsure of Gwen's request.

"Guinevere" his voice comes out gruff and strained "I don't want you to feel as if you're obligated to do something that you don't want to do". A flash of pain mingled with rejection dull her eyes.

"Arthur...If _you're_ not ready...Or maybe it's me; maybe you just don't want me in tha-" before the words leave Guinevere's lips Arthur's own descend onto hers, kissing her hungrily; greedily and Gwen, initially hesitant, matches his fervour knead-for-knead; suck-for-suck. He is ready, just nervous. Arthur loves Guinevere and was willing to take things as slow as possible to keep from ruining the relationship. Sex, as wonderful as it is, sometimes complicates things in a relationship and he just wanted her to be absolutely sure before they took that step. Seeing the flash of hurt and rejection in Gwen's eyes is something that Arthur doesn't wish to be the cause of ever again. He easily lifts Gwen off the ground and she instinctively straddles his taught waist, never breaking the kiss. He walks her over to the bed and lowers her gently down before breaking the kiss to make quick work of freeing himself from his t shirt. The restricting cloth now abandoned on the hardwood floor behind him Arthur descends on top of Guinevere, running his thick tongue across her lips, coaxing her mouth open before plunging the strong muscle into his her mouth and seeking out her own sweet tendon. Gwen's hands find their way to Arthur's hair, lacing her slender fingers into her his golden locks and lovingly massaging his scalp as her tongue is massages his. Arthur sits back on his haunches and lifts himself up; pulling Guinevere up with him so that he can reach behind her to unclasp her bra. Once unfastened he runs his large, calloused palms across her smooth and soft back, enjoying the silky feel of her bronze skin in comparison, then up into her hair, tangling his fingers in her lush curls, before bringing his hands back down to her shoulders to free them of the bra's straps. Gwen breaks her hands away from around Arthur's neck to finish removing the bra from the front herself, freeing her round, pert, gloriously brown breasts and tossing the restraint over her head to join his shirt on the floor. Arthur is stunned silent, awe-fully admiring Guinevere's beautiful form. He'd dreamed many a night about this moment: seeing Guinevere in her raw radiance without offensive clothes shielding her from his sight. Even his most vivid dreams fail in comparison to the ethereal sight of her right now: face flushed pink with arousal, eyes heavily lidded with desire, her lips red and swollen from kissing, her hair wild and free, haloed by the soft glow of the room's lamp.

"You look so beautiful" Arthur whispers awestruck and Gwen dips her chin, smiling shyly. Arthur tips it back up with his thumb and forefinger, closes the small gap between them and slants his mouth over hers once more. Leaning Guinevere back down to the bed he runs tender kisses over her face, showing favouritism to the freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks, and the beauty marks surrounding her lush lips. He trails the kisses down her chin, her neck, her collarbone and down the valley between her breasts before covering a breast with his mouth.

"...Arthur..." Gwen moans in response. Arthur draws the mound of flesh deeper into his mouth, sucking on its tight black bud and massaging the other with his hand, causing Guinevere to moan even loader. He languidly licks and teases the breast like this before moving to the other and showing it the same attention. As Arthur's head travels further down leaving a trail of wet, hot kisses on Gwen's taut belly she reaches overhead, panting, and grabs fistfuls of the linens, clenching them tightly in anticipation of his lips' final destination. Arthur sits back on his haunches and hooks both forefingers into the waist of Gwen's black lace pants, silently signals to her to lift her hips; which she happily complies, and drags the offending garment down her smooth golden legs, dipping his head down and placing a tender kiss inside each thigh, before tossing them over his shoulders. Now viewing Guinevere in her full raw beauty Arthur knows for sure that he's found the missing piece to the puzzle of his life. Gwen slowly parts her thighs, spreading her legs wide to him in a silent right of passage, offering her trust, her love, her very womanhood to the man she loves. Arthur's rigid shaft throbs painfully at the sight of his woman's pink jewel and at the scent of her sweet, heady arousal. Arthur shifts his weight until his face is aligned perfectly with Guinevere's intimate flesh. He dives his face into her wetness, relishing the dampness of her curls, and runs his nose along her slick inner lips, inhaling her natural essence and then slowly runs his thick tongue from the tip of Gwen's canal to her pulsing clit, swirling his tongue around the pink bud.

"Oh...Arthur..." she moans clenching the sheets tighter.

"I'm right here, love" he taunts "Right here..." he flicks his tongue back and forth over the sensitive bud while fondling her breast with his free hand.

"Oh yes!" Gwen cries "...Yes!". Driven by her pleasure Arthur licks and kisses his way down her moist flesh to her opening and skillfully plunges his tongue in and out of Gwen's wet canal while flicking the side of his thumb over her throbbing nub.

"Oh God! Arthur, plee-hease it's too much!" Gwen shouts. "...Arhhhh...!" Her thighs instinctively clutch around Arthur's neck as her walls clench around his tongue, and she arches her back, grinding his face in a shattering orgasm that's punctuated by a bolt of lightening that rips through the clouded sky. Arthur savors every drop of nectar that pours from her wet hollow. Breathing heavily and chuckling, he carefully releases her quivering thighs from around his neck.

"I'm going to kill you" Gwen pants the empty threat, still trembling from her sudden orgasm.

"I knew the moment I met you that you'd be the death of me, Guinevere" Arthur teases hoarsely in between kisses along the insides of her smooth thighs. Her breath having calmed down somewhat, Gwen laces her fingers into Arthur's locks and gently tugs his head up and he takes the hint. Leaving his newly found favourite place on earth, Arthur moves up, shifting his weight onto his forearms so as not to crush Gwen's petite form, and brings his face up to join Guinevere's, slanting his full lips over hers and hungrily enjoying the lushness of her lips once more. Gwen doesn't mind tasting the traces of her unique nectar on Arthur's lips either.

The rain outside beats against the windows and the storm rages on as Arthur and Guinevere hold each other, embracing passionately.

"If you kill me, love" Arthur addresses Gwen's "threat" as he breaks their kiss "I will no longer be able to do this" he kisses her neck "or this..." his lips trail lower to her breast "...or this..." he flicks his tongue over one of her tight buds and gently nibbles it.

"Mmm..." Gwen moans around her bottom lip held between her teeth.

"...Or this..." Arthur licks and sucks the other breast.

"...Arthur".

"...Or this..." he licks a trail down to her bellow button before swirling the tip of his tongue in the small cavern, eliciting another moan from Guinevere.

"...Or this..." Arthur takes his right middle and ring fingers and slowly inserts them into Gwen's wet hollow "...would I?" he asks teasingly.

"Mmm...No" Gwen groans gyrating her hips onto Arthur's palm.

"So you won't kill me then, love?" he taunts continuously pumping his fingers in and out of her slickness.

"Mmm..." Gwen moans around the lip between her teeth. "No, I promise" she pants.

"Good" Arthur grins devilishly. "And just so you don't change your mind..." Arthur hooks the two fingers now as he pumps and he soon finds Guinevere's G-spot.

"Oh...Oh...Arthur...Don't...!". Picking up the pace he continues to pump the hooked fingers hitting the G-spot repeatedly. Arthur feels Guinevere's climax approaching so he lowers his mouth onto her clit and presses his lips around it, sucking the swollen pink nub as he flicks his wrist at lightening speed. Guinevere's beautiful face mars in sweet agony as she comes a second time and much stronger than the first. She writhes and gasps as the waves of her orgasm continue to flow through her and mixed with the smell of her arousal perfuming the entire room, it's all Arthur can do not fill her right then and there with his stone hard cock. He leaves her momentarily to yank his gym trunks and boxers and reaches into a draw of the side table to retrieve a condom. Arthur had to bring Guinevere to completion this way because he knows the minute he enters the walls of her sacred temple, his visit will be brief. And he'd be damned if she walked away from there first sexual experience short changed. Once he's sheathed his thick erection, Arthur rejoins his beautiful partner back on the bed. Shadowing her small, still trembling body with his strong muscular frame, Arthur supports his weight on both forearms settled at each side of Guinevere's head. Her eyes are closed and he kisses each lid softly before they flutter open. A sense of satisfaction and masculine pride fills Arthur's heart. She takes his face, hovering patiently above hers, between the palms of her hands, stroking her thumb absently across his lightly stubbled cheek and smiles lazily up at him.

"Guinevere" he whispers hoarsely.

"Hmm?" she moans back.

"Just one more time, love...For me" he pleads softly. Cognac eyes gaze lovingly into sapphire blues. Gwen lifts her head up the short distance and places a sweet kiss on Arthur's lips before dropping it back down to the bed. Keeping her gaze locked on his and one palm still on his hovering face, without uttering a single word, Gwen tilts her pelvis up to meet Arthur's. Reaching down between them her hand skims his hard shaft and he hisses between clenched teeth. Carefully taking the sensitive muscle in her palm Gwen guides the tip slowly into her wet cave, biting her lower lip and releasing a moan. As thick as Arthur's tongue and fingers are, the girth of his shaft is far more superior. It's been a long time since Guinevere has felt the touch of a man and judging from Arthur's tentativeness he's likely been spending his nights alone before they met, too. But his shyness quickly fades and he finds a steady rhythm, pumping slowly in and out of Guinevere's wetness, adding a bit more of his length each time. Before long Guinevere's moans and breathy sighs mingled with Arthur's grunts and heavy breathing fill the room. The muscular cheeks of his sculpted ass clench and lax each time he pumps in and out of Gwen's channel. Not one to disappoint, Gwen straddles Arthur's waist and matches each stroke with confident thrusts of her hips. The soundtrack of the thunderstorm outside mimics their own music. The pounding of the rain against the windows harmonizes with each thrust of Arthur's hips and the wet slapping sound it makes as his cock shoots in and out of Guinevere's wetness. Each time Guinevere's nails dig into Arthur's shoulders, his back, his tight rear, lightening blazes across the smokey gray sky: like a call-and-response all of their own. They continue in this way until Arthur can feel the walls of Guinevere's sheath tightening around his shaft.

"Arthur..." she gasps as her nails dig deeper into his shoulders. Grinding the back of his teeth Arthur is determined to bring her to climax before his own release. Feeling she only has seconds before her wave hits he hunches his back and drives deeper and faster into her slick cave.

Looking deep into her eyes he whispers fiercely, "I love you, Guinevere" before covering her mouth with his, swallowing the screams that rip through her throat on her third release. Gwen's walls tighten like a vise around Arthur's shaft and he can't hold his own rush back any longer. Thrusting wildly he breaks his mouth away from hers and by the seventh stroke his body stills and a climax so strong rips through Arthur's body that he buries his face into Guinevere's neck, muffling a groan so primal that it nearly brings her to climax a fourth time. No longer able to support his weight on his shaking forearms Arthur carefully pulls out of Guinevere and forces himself to collapse on his side rather than on top of her, then tumbles flat on to his back and pants until his breath is steady. Arthur and Guinevere lay side by side like this until he rolls on to his side and scoops her back to his front, wrapping an arm around her waist, the other folded beneath his head as a pillow, he spoons her, tucking her rain and sweat dampened head into the nook of his elbow. The both of them thoroughly spent from lovemaking fall asleep just like this, safely tucked in each others' arms.


	25. Chapter 25

**AN: Hello, friends. I hope I can call you all that. I know it has been four weeks since I last updated Above The Law. I've just been going through some things; still going through them actually. But I just couldn't let one full month pass me by, so I decided to type to take my mind off of my woes. And you know what, it helped.**

**So here is chapter 25 of our fic. I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you for your patience and unwavering support.**

**Justine**

* * *

><p>Gwen walks into her firm the next morning softly singing Heather Headley's latest melody.<p>

"_The night is quiet._

_I watch you sleep._

_The room is dark._

_I hear you breathe._

_I wish this would never end._

_Never end._

_Your breath is music to my soul._

_A rhythm that I've come to know._

_I can't resist,_

_I touch your skin._

_Again and again_".

The lyrics perfectly relay her evening with Arthur. In fact when Gwen had awoken the night before, she traced small circles up the forearm that was protectively guarded around her waist. She had picked up Arthur's hand, softly kissed his rough palm and made a mental to treat the hard working detective to a manicure before she filed the thought away. At the fore of Gwen's mind had been thoughts of an entirely different pampering. She carefully peeled away Arthur's heavy muscled arm and wiggled away from its safety. He grunted once in disagreement but the detective had remained asleep. Gwen carefully pushed Arthur on to his back and stared down appreciatively at his impressive sleeping form. Even while dormant he had looked every bit of a tough copper. A strong wave of desire had swept through Gwen and washed away all remnants of slumber that were in its path. Gwen glided her warm palms across the range of Arthur's soft haired chest and placed tender kisses on each of his pecs before her mouth had started to travel downward, leaving a trail of searing wet kisses down Arthur's abdomen and stopped at the dark blond line of hair, that disappeared into his dark blond bush, when Arthur had moved. His arm reached across the bed looking for Guinevere so she'd risen, reached over and picked up one of the pillows, hoping that the feather stuffed substitution would have fooled the detective, when his hand stilled in its efforts and he carried on sleeping.

Gwen smiled wickedly at Arthur. 'You won't be sleeping for long, my love' she thought. She resumed her post at Arthur's hip and gently took his flaccid member into her hand, massaged Arthur's cock in her palm and elicited a sleepy groan from the detective. Gwen had continued her ministrations until the thick flesh pulsed in her hand. Encouraged by Arthur's body's reaction, she licked and gently nibbled the length of his ever growing shaft. Arthur stirred and moaned in his sleep but his eyes had remained shut to the world. Gwen continued licking, kissing and stroking Arthur's shaft until it had grown fully erect. She licked the pre-ejaculate from his head then took it into her mouth, sucking the bulb and releasing it, making a "pop" sound. Gwen took as much of Arthur's thick flesh into her mouth as she could, swirled her tongue around its length as she came up, lubricating it, and took him in deeper as she came back down. She had formed a ring with her fingers on one hand and kept it tight around Arthur's shaft then slid it from the base and up toward her mouth. She massaged any part of his shaft that was still exposed, while her free hand massaged his testicles. Gwen had found a steady rhythm working Arthur's swollen flesh in and out of the moist, warm walls of her mouth and slowly stirred him out of his slumber. Arthur's hand had instinctively reached to the top of her head to investigate the wet arousing sensation in his lap. Ever the detective.

Arthur thought he had been dreaming when he discovered Guinevere's mass of curls beneath his hand, felt her mouth around his member and heard the wet sounds, and the deep moans that came from her throat. But when a loud drum of thunder had beaten across the sky and he heard the rain still pounding against the window pane, he knew that it was real, and it felt incredible.

"Arghh...Guinevere", he'd moaned when he felt the head of his cock hit the tight space at the back of Gwen's throat. She'd responded by tightening the walls of her mouth around his shaft, as she slid her head up and down, taking him in further. Arthur thought then about the fleshlight that he had purchased when the nights alone just got too much for him to bear. It failed in comparison to Guinevere's passion, enthusiasm, the warmth and endless depth of her glorious mouth. He couldn't wait to chuck the fallacious device away.

Arthur massaged Guinevere's scalp and slightly sat up to run his palm along her smooth back as she continued pleasuring him. Her moans and wet suction sounds had mingled with his own groans and filled the bedroom with their primal music.

"Oh...Guin..." Arthur groaned when he'd felt his loins tighten. "...Guinevere". He had called her name and laced his fingers tightly through her hair. "...Guinevere" he'd panted again, grinding the backs of his teeth to delay his release. Guinevere never showed any signs of slowing. She loved the feel of Arthur's bulging veins as they glided along the walls of her inner mouth. Arthur hadn't bothered calling out to Guinevere a fourth time. Instead he'd tightened his fist around her curls and forced her to bring her head up.

"Ouch, Arthur!" she panted crossly at him.

"Please..." he'd gritted out. "Finish me with your hand". A look of confusion and slight offense then marred Gwen's face.

"Please" he'd urged. Gwen heeded. She closed her fist tightly around Arthur's shaft and jerked the ring of fingers up and down his cock rapidly. Arthur's hips bucked and his body tensed.

"Arghhh...". He'd groaned fiercely when his climax hit him and erupted his hot seed like lava into the air, then down Guinevere's hand. Gwen had marveled at the viscosity of his ejaculate before she slowly and seductively licked it from her nimble fingers. Arthur's head fell back as he panted and tried to catch his breath. Gwen moved up and joined him. She wiped his damp locks from his sweated forehead before she rested her own head on to his chest. Arthur had been afraid to release into Guinevere's mouth, afraid that the sheer velocity and volume of his gush would have chocked her, and he told Gwen as much. She'd laughed at his revelation; touched by his thoughtfulness but at the same time thoroughly amused by its absurdity. She would have to disprove his theory another time. Arthur silenced her laughs with his tongue. First in her mouth, then on the sweat tinged skin of her throat, her breasts, her stomach, and finally in her intimate flesh. Arthur had silenced Guinevere's laughs and brought forth her screams until she too released in climactic bliss. Before the sun rose they'd made love one final time, slowly, tenderly, as they rode out the last of the storm together.

In the morning Gwen arose sore to the bone. But that did not stop the lazy smile that had spread across her face at the memory of the delicious events which lead to her tender state. She shifted her head and found Arthur gazing down lovingly at her, so she shifted again and took his face into her hands, kissing him good morning.

"How did you sleep?" Arthur had asked.

"As if you don't know" Gwen had replied cheekily, as she gently brushed her thumb across his full lips. Arthur had tried to keep the smug grin that threatened to form on his mouth, but to no avail. Gwen fixed him with a look before she caved in and kissed him again.

"I don't even want to know what time it is" Gwen said then, looking at the streaks of sun that broke through the windows.

"We have plenty of time" had been Arthur's response. Gwen had taken one look at the wicked gleam in his eyes and fixed him with a different look.

"Addicted already are we?" she'd asked teasingly.

Not blinking once, "You have no idea" Arthur replied. Gwen was the one who had to fight the smug grin off of her face then.

"You and I will get more _in_ _depth_ about your addiction later. Right now I need a hot shower". Gwen gingerly climbed out of the king sized bed and she'd hidden her wincing face from Arthur as she did so. She padded her tiny bare feet around the bed and across the room while Arthur leaned back into the pillows and hungrily absorbed the sight of Gwen's bare body in the day's light. Gwen had felt his gaze and exaggerated the sway of her hips as she made her way to the bathroom.

Arthur knocked on the bathroom door minutes later.

"Yes?" Gwen had answered around the toothbrush.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" Arthur had asked.

"No" Gwen replied.

"No?"

"No", she'd said a bit firmer and ignored the false hurt in Arthur's voice.

"Guinevere. If we shower together we'll save water" he'd reasoned.

"_Pleeazze_" Gwen said after rinsing her mouth. "I doubt your motives have anything to do with the preservation of the planet's natural resources. I know for a fact that if I let you in to this bathroom only dirty, naughty things will come of it. Kind of defeats the purpose of a shower, yeah?". She'd been right of course. Guinevere would not have made it past the lavatory before Arthur would have seized her and showed her just what kind of 'dirty' and 'naughty' he'd had in mind. Groaning in defeat, he had sulked out of his room, across the hall and in to the main bathroom where he shaved and showered.

Both the detective and attorney had decided that skipping breakfast and opting for a cup of coffee at their respective workplaces was in the best interest of time. When Gwen had insisted on driving herself to work Arthur had convinced her otherwise. So long in fact had Arthur taken to convince Guinevere that his favourite neighbor, Ms. Beatrice, a sprightly elderly woman who always found an excuse to make baked goods for the detective that reminded her of her grandson in the States, had to clear her throat to get the attention of the couple, as they blocked the apartment complex's main entrance.

"Ms. Beatrice" Arthur had greeted the silver haired woman, bending low to meet her four foot ten frame, and kissed her cheek. "Up for your morning walk I see".

"You know I'm no good to the world without my three miles" she'd stated satisfactorily. Ms. Beatrice looked at Gwen then and asked, "And who might this lovely lass be?"

"This is Guinevere, my girlfriend" Arthur stated with evident pride.

"Lovely indeed" Ms. Beatrice reiterated. "You've got a good one here, Guinevere".

"I know" Gwen agreed then, gazing up at Arthur as the thumb of her hand, intertwined with his, absently stroked his own.

"I suppose you won't need me to bake you any more puddings and such" Ms. Beatrice said then to Arthur, laughing sadly.

"On the contrary" Gwen had answered before Arthur could. "You may have to bake _twice_ as many". She winked at the elder woman and smiled. Ms. Beatrice beamed with relieved elation.

"I quite like her" she said cheerfully.

Arthur looked down into Guinevere's eyes. "There seems to be quite a bit of that going around".

* * *

><p>"'Only One In The World' by Heather Headley" Mona says, snapping Gwen out of her daydream. "That's one of my favourite tunes". Mona sizes Gwen up; looking her up and down carefully.<p>

"Gwen, love. Far be it from me to question the- pardon my French- Head Bitch In Charge, but you are an hour and a half late". Mona confirms with a quick glance of her watch. Looking back up at Gwen with a glint of mischief in her eyes she asks, "Pray tell me why".

"My alarm didn't go off this morning" Gwen says, telling a partial truth. Her alarm indeed did not go off in the morning because she was never home to set it last night. But Mona doesn't have to know that.

Mona suspects as much.

"Hmm...Funny your alarm doesn't go off on the very morning that Arthur picks you up from home and drops you off at work" Mona says, stretching her neck and looking pointedly through the firm's front entrance glass doors where she'd seen Arthur wave farewell to Gwen before he drove off moments ago. Gwen is busted.

Smiling sheepishly, the barrister says, "I spent the night at Arthur's last-"

Before Guinevere can get the final word out Mona lets out a loud girlish squeal. "I knew it would happen! I knew it would happen! I knew it would happen!", the words leave the secretary's mouth in rapid succession.

"What's going on?!" both Gwaine and Elyan demand after jogging from Elyan's office to the lobby at the sound of Mona's yelp. The two had been going over notes and documents on an upcoming case.

"Um...Uh...Well..." Mona stutters, looking back and forth between Gwaine, Elyan and Gwen. "You see Gwen...". The secretary looks helplessly at the barrister before her mind quickly forms a suitable fib. "...just booked an appointment with Albion's most highly acclaimed hairstylist. The average time on the waiting list for her salon is usually _months_ long. Gwen got reserved in only a few weeks; hence my excitement" Mona concludes, discreetly winking at Gwen, who just as secretly sighs in relief.

Elyan looks suspiciously at his sister and knows that there is more to the story than Mona is telling, but he chooses not to voice his suspicion.

Instead he turns to Gwaine and says, "The day you ever show that much excitement about hair is the day I officially terminate your membership as a man".

"Suit yourself". Gwaine shrugs easily. "I'll be in the "non man club" using Nancy's Mango Shampoo from the Albion Farmers' Market that you love so much" he says, before walking back toward Elyan's office.

Elyan is hot on his heels. "Clean hair has nothing to do with vanity, Gwaine".

"Aye!" Gwaine agrees from down the hall. "But exclusively using hair products that are formulated with _rainwater_, is".

"Rainwater is softer and kinder to the hair follicles..." Gwen and Mona hear Elyan justify, before he shuts his office door. The two girls snicker at the irony.

"Right". Mona brings the attention back to Guinevere. "You. Arthur. Details. Now". Gwen giggles again.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know". Mona's eyes and grin grow in anticipation. "Later" Gwen clarifies. The secretary huffs and folds her arms across her chest, pouting like a petulant child.

"After lunch call the girls" Gwen instructs "and tell them, tea at mine after work".

Gwen walks to her office humming the rest of Heather's tune. Once inside she laughs quietly at her appearance. Any passerby would think she were appropriately dressed for a day at the office: trench coat, modest pumps and briefcase in hand. Even Mona had been none the wiser. 'If only they knew' Gwen thinks to herself. Underneath her, now dry, trench coat Gwen is clad in the t shirt and boxer underwear that Arthur had provided her with the night before. She never _did_ get the chance to where them. She smiles to herself at the thoughts of her forwardness last night. Gwen was glad she used a bit of her assertiveness outside of the courtroom, and it paid off many, many, _many_ times. Warmth engulfs her cheeks at the thought and she shakes her head, trying to dispel images of Arthur's sweat dampened, brawny body hovering over hers. Gwen refocuses on her appearance. Thankfully the solicitor always keeps a spare change of undergarments, clothes and shoes in her office closet, just in case. Gwen gets redressed, gathers her curls into a hair clip and has a cereal bar with her cup of coffee before getting straight to work.

* * *

><p>Arthur walks into the precinct with a spring in his step, greeting nearly everyone- including handcuffed perpetrators- in the lobby on his way to the lift. Once inside he begins singing:<p>

"_When you move me._

_Everything is groovy._

_If they don't like it, sue me!_

_Mmmm the way you do me._

_Oh I swear to ya._

_I'll be there for ya._

_This is not a drive by ah, ah, ah-"_

"Arthur Pendragon!" Morgana bites out as soon as the lift doors open. She had grown tired of waiting for him at her desk and decided to go and wait for her brother outside instead, where she could have greeted him with a few choice words without the prying ears of their colleagues.

"Good morning, baby sister" Arthur greets her, smooching her loudly on the cheek, and continues down the hall to his office, humming the rest of Train's 'Drive By' along the way. Morgana quickly falls in step beside him until they are inside his cubicle.

"Arthur" she says in a harsh, conspiratorial whisper. "Do you know that you are nearly two hours late!"

"Am I?" the detective asks, unfazed, then shrugs.

"Yes". Morgana stabs her forefinger into Arthur's chest, emphasizing each word. "You. Are".

"Not to worry, though. I covered for you of course". She shrugs as if to say 'naturally'. "It's just that you're never late. Yet judging from the look on your face..." Arthur is grinning like a maniac. "...you don't seem to care too much about it".

"I do care" Arthur says, as he reaches back to sit on the edge of his desk, trying in vain to dim out his grin. "Of course I care. It's just that I had to drop Guinevere off at work this morning, that's why I'm late". Morgana narrows her eyes and tilts her head in confusion.

"Why would you drive all the way across town to Gwen's house and then escort her to work, when Gwen has her own car? If she was not inclined to drive, certainly she could have carpooled with Mona".

"Guinevere stayed the night with me last night" Arthur states insouciantly.

Morgana shrugs. "Oh. Okay. That makes sense". Realization soon dawns on her and her eyes slowly grow wide with it.

"You mean...Gwen _stayed_ the night. As in...". She wiggles her brows indicatively. Arthur chuckles.

"Yes" he confirms. No sooner does the confirmation leave his lips, Morgana launches herself at her brother and he catches her in a hug. She kisses both his cheeks happily and pulls away.

"Arthur's got a girlfriend! Arthur's got a girlfriend! Arthur's got a girlfriend!" Morgana sings merrily, dancing in a small circle. Arthur just sits back, shaking his head and chuckling at the silly ritual his sister would perform years ago when he began dating in his early teens.

"Now you know this is usually the part where I ask you for all the details", Morgana says once she's concluded her customary dance. "But uh...I think we'll just skip that part, yeah?"

"Yeah- yes. Definitely" Arthur confirms, straightening up from his desk. He'd sooner choose death over divulging the salacious details of his sex life to his sister.

"Right then" Morgana says with a clap of her hands. "Chief has given us our next assignment. I'm afraid our services are required in Liverpool". Arthur groans. Walking over to the back of his desk, he draws out his backup firearm from the bottom compartment and holsters the weapon to his inner ankle.

"It's a good thing I had my orange juice this morning" the detective says, joining his sister in the hallway.

"Is _that_ what their calling it these days?" comes Morgana's cheeky reply. Arthur chuckles as he locks the door behind him.

"Might as well call 'it' orange 's just as fortifying" the detective answers, grinning wolfishly.

"Ewww!" Morgana squeals. "We promised no details". Arthur laughs again, ignoring the strange and inquisitive looks from a few coppers and detectives as they pass them on their way to the lift.

* * *

><p>No sooner had Gwen placed the platter of finger sandwiches and biscuits alongside the tea set on her living room coffee table did the doorbell ring.<p>

Opening her flat door and walking down the hall to answer the front door, "Elena. Felicia" Gwen greets the physician's assistant and nurse respectively, warmly hugging them both. Still clad in their hospital uniforms, the women have come to Gwen's flat straight from work.

Gwen had invited Elena and Lance over to her home for dinner when the two first began dating, eager to meet the girl who had captured her childhood friend's heart. By the end of the main course it was clear to Gwen why Lance had been so taken by Elena. The woman exuded positive energy and was simply charming. She and Gwen conversed animatedly about everything, from Elena's love of botanical gardens, to her and Gwen's shared love of sewing and online shopping. Gwen liked her, and the feeling was mutual.

Soon after, Gwen was introduced to Felicia when Merlin and Arthur took the women out on a double date. The two women bonded instantly over their love for the acoustic guitar and famed guitarists/musicians like India. Arie, Landon Pigg, Ingrid Michaelson, among others. They made the mutual exception for the living legend, electric guitarist, Carlos Santana; 'Into The Night' being one of their favourite pieces by the guitarist. That night Gwen and Felicia laughed and talked like old friends throughout dinner and during the park stroll afterward; having all but forgotten the _true_ long time friends, their boyfriends, who were with them.

"I am _famished_" Elena drawls once they are in Gwen's space, removing her shoes and tucking them into the hallway's shoe cupboard, before she walks down the corridor.

"I can eat an entire Chinese buffet" Felicia adds exaggeratedly, following the physician's assistant's lead.

"There's an assortment of finger sandwiches and biscuits laid out in the living room on the coffee table, and plenty for everyone. Help yourselves" Gwen offers as she hangs their jackets in the hallway coat closet.

"Oh, bless. Being a P.A., I hardly have time for _loo_ breaks; let alone lunch ones" Elena laments as she helps herself to a small plate of fish paste, roast beef, and chicken sarnies.

"Too true, love. Too true" Felicia agrees from the kitchen, opting instead for a glass of juice to go with her own plate of food.

"Where's our lovely Mona?" Elena asks before biting into her fish paste triangle.

"She had to stop by Gwaine's for a bit. It's not too far so she'll be here momentarily" Gwen offers coming down the hall to join her guests in the living room.

"I don't know about that" Felicia adds, heavy with skepticism. "As dishy as Gwaine is, I wouldn't blame Mona for missing tea entirely".

"The way he looks at her..." Elena dips her chin low, giving her eyes a predatory look, and runs her tongue slowly along her top lip. Felicia and Gwen laugh wholeheartedly at her impersonation of Gwaine.

The doorbell rings and Gwen rises, still laughing, leaving Elena doing impersonations of the other men to go answer the door.

"Morgana". Gwen warmly embraces the detective who has become a legal ally and close friend to her over the past months.

"Hi, gorgeous" Morgana says, hugging Gwen with equal enthusiasm. "Sorry I'm a little late. I had a few case files to review at the precinct".

"No, not at all" Gwen offers. "I know how that goes. There are times when Elyan _literally_ has to pry a file from my hand and pull me away from my desk. If it weren't for my family staying on top of me I would sleep at the office most nights". Morgana smiles at Gwen as they walk down the hall. The barrister is an over achiever. She works hard for her clients, her family, her community and her firm. Yet Gwen never gloats or basks in her victories and successes. That is one of the qualities that drew Morgana to Gwen. She admires the woman's diligence, her humility, her humanity as well as her poise under pressure.

Guinevere and Morgana's friendship began shortly after Tilly's murder trial. The two had encountered one another on the lunch queues at a burger restaurant in the town's square.

"Extra pickles, please" both had uttered simultaneously when the two clerks behind the sales counter had asked each woman how they wanted their burgers embellished. Gwen and Morgana had looked at one another in astonishment and laughed.

"I _love_ pickles" Gwen had said as she waited for her lunch order.

"You can't possibly love them as much as I do" Morgana had responded back, waiting for her own lunch.

"I eat them by the jar, dipping them in ketchup" Gwen deadpanned.

"The sweet and sour pair so perfectly together, don't they?!" Morgana had asked, amazed again at their similarities in culinary tastes and habits. "_Finally_, someone who gets it".

Gwen laughed then and nodded agreeably. "Blessed are the delicatessens who will have us as pregnant customers".

"Aye! You and I alone will make them rich".

No one can ever say that the love of pickles never brought people together.

"Hello, my lovely birds" Morgana greets Felicia and Elena when she walks in to the living room.

"Hi Snow", both Felicia and Elena greet the alabaster complexioned detective with the affectionate nickname she had been given by Mona, before they resume chewing and sipping.

"Gwen, you're an _angel_" Morgana chirps, at the sight of the sandwich, biscuit and tea spread. "I hope you made fish paste; you know it's my favourite".

"Mine too" Gwen chimes. Walking to the kitchen and retrieving a jar off of the counter Gwen walks back in to the living room. "Here, I saved you these". She gives the jar of gherkins to a widely grinning Morgana and giggles. "It was hard, too, considering I only have three jars left". Morgana extends her arms before her and bows at her waist repeatedly in reverence. Gwen laughs again.

"Where's Mona?" Morgana asks as she walks to the kitchen for the ketchup. As if the secretary could sense the detective questioning her whereabouts, a knock comes at Gwen's door and she opens it to reveal her guest and answer Morgana's question all at once.

"Good afternoon, my dears" Mona greets the group, air kissing the three that were busy eating. "My apologies for my tardiness, but I have brought wine and some chocolates in case my words do not suffice".

"You're forgiven" Felicia says, quickly rescuing the box of truffles from Mona's hand and eliciting laughs from the other four women.

"So, how _is_ Gwaine?" Elena asks, as if Mona had mentioned the solicitor, biting back an 'I know exactly why you're late' grin that so desperately wants to form on her mouth.

Warmth spreads across Mona's dusky cheeks, making them plum in colour. "He is well" she responds nonchalantly despite her betraying cheeks and heart. Just the very thought of Gwaine quickens her heartbeat, and Elena and Felicia can see just as much.

"We can see that" Felicia quips, joining in on the teasing.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Mona asks, trying her best to sound offended. Morgana and Gwen look at one another confused.

"Oh come now, love" Elena cuts back in. "We know _exactly_ why you had to 'stop by Gwaine's'".

"What are you two carrying on about?" Gwen asks, feeling the urge to Mona's defense. "Mona went over to Gwaine's home to assist him with his case". Gwen turns to Mona. "You said he needed help with his oral deliv-". Gwen pauses when realization dawns on her and she see's Mona's eyes avert to the ground.

"You little vamp" Morgana utters, vocalizing Gwen's thoughts, causing Felicia and Elena to laugh.

"Hush, you" Mona admonishes Morgana, swatting her on the shoulder. She turns back to Gwen. "Gwen, now you know that if Arthur lived just minutes away you too would find any little excuse to go help him with his...oral delivery".

"Oh God, I think I'm going to be ill" Morgana moans, falsely gagging on air and holding an arm across her stomach for dramatic affect.

Gwen laughs at the detective before addressing her with a naughty gleam in her eye. "Then you might want to run to the loo, my dear, because I have much to say on Arthur's manual, pelvic _and_ oral deliveries". At this Mona, Felicia and Elena howl and cheer. Morgana, however, takes her pickles, sandwiches, biscuits and the bottle of wine that Mona brought from Gwaine's home, before scurrying off to Gwen's guest bedroom.

"Snow! That wine is for the five of us" Mona shouts down the hall at Morgana.

Morgana stops short of stepping over the threshold and in to the bedroom. Turning to address Mona she says, "If my brother is as thorough at _orange_ _juice_ as he is at detective work, then I will be barred in this bedroom for quite some time". She enters the room and shuts the door behind her.

Mona looks at the other three faces that match her own puzzled expression. "Did she say 'orange juice'"?

* * *

><p>Arthur, Merlin, Leon, Lance, Gwaine, Elyan and Percival are all seated together at 'Gilli's' bar and grill. Three tables had to be aligned end to end to accommodate the seven men. A mix of classic and modern rock tunes stream through the hidden speakers in the dimly lit bar, giving it an at home atmosphere, encouraging the patrons to drink and eat their fill. It is after ten in the evening and 'Gilli's' is filled to maximum capacity, loud and lively with lawyers, analysts, coppers and other law enforcement officials. But the most boisterous of them all are Arthur and his party. Elyan is seated to the left of Arthur and reaches over to pat his back when the detective chokes on his beer at something fresh that Gwaine says.<p>

"Thank you, El" Arthur says once his throat is clear.

"No problem, mate". Elyan chuckles. "I've gotten used to Gwaine's...heavily detailed stories.

Looking to Gwaine Arthur says, "You kiss you mum with that mouth?!", and the gang erupt in laughter.

Elyan had approached Arthur while at the gym one day. Gwaine, who had accompanied him, decided to join Leon, Lance and Merlin, who were running laps around the track.

Arthur had just added the last plate to the end of the barbell and straddled the bench before he reclined until his back laid flat across the bench. Just as he had gripped the barbell to lift it, Elyan tapped Percival's shoulder and silently dismissed his friend as Arthur's spotter, filling the vacancy.

"Arthur" Elyan had said, looking down into momentarily confused blue eyes.

"Elyan" Arthur had responded. "I thought Percival was-"

"You are dating Gwen now?" Elyan interrupted then, lifting the heavily weighted bar up from its stand and placing in to Arthur's waiting hands.

"Yes" Arthur grunted out when he'd taken the weighted bar and pressed it upward for the first bench press.

"Gwen is the most important person in my life, Arthur, much like I am the most important person in your life at the moment". Arthur had faltered at Elyan's blunt honesty when the bar tipped slightly before Elyan corrected it for him, and he continued pressing.

"It would crush me if anyone hurt Gwen, much like this bar would crush your larynx if I were not here as your sentry". Arthur faltered a second time then, before he decided to break from his exercise and address Elyan from a standing, and much safer, position. Elyan did hesitate to take the heavy bar from Arthur, only to emphasize his severity, before lifting it from Arthur's wobbly hands and placing it back on to the stand.

"Elyan" Arthur panted once he'd been upright. "You are fiercely protective of your sister, believe me, I understand that. I would threaten bodily harm to anyone who ever dared to hurt Morgana...or Guinevere". Arthur had paused to gauge Elyan's reaction to the confession before he continued. "I am not looking for something casual, nor a new challenge. I genuinely care for your sister, Elyan, and you have my word as a man, as a brother, that I will treat her with honesty, and kindness and I will always hold her in the highest regard. If ever I fail in those areas then you have my permission to 'crush my larynx', as you so eloquently stated". Elyan had stifled a laugh and the tension ebbed away from his shoulders.

"I didn't say that _I_ would crush your larynx" he'd responded after a while.

"But I'm sure you could" Arthur had quipped.

"I definitely could" Elyan retorted, and Arthur guffawed.

"For Gwennie's sake, though, I'll keep your voice box intact a while longer".

"So Arthur" Lance asks, after taking a swig of his lager. "How are things between you and Gwen?". The computer analyst does not miss the change in his colleague's eyes at the mention of his friend's name.

"Things are good between Guinevere and I" Arthur responds.

"How 'good'"? Leon asks, bringing his mug up to his lips.

"So good I was two hours late to work this morning" Arthur boasts.

"Yeah!"

"Attaboy!"

"Woo!". The men howl and cheer, genuinely happy for their friend, knowing the devastation he had been through with his last relationship.

"Come one, Golden Boy; don't be shy" Merlin cajoles. "Give us the goods".

Not at all willing to hear 'the goods', Elyan looks upward toward the bar's ceiling. "Dear God, if you have any mercy or love for me at all, strike me deaf" he supplicates. The men at the table roar in another round of laughter.

Arthur places a hand on the solicitor's shoulder. "Elyan" he says, once he is able to breathe. "Worry not my friend, I will spare you the details".

"That's not fair; we want to hear" Gwaine whines.

"Then go behind his back and read about it in his journal like any normal person" Elyan practically growls. The men all laugh again.

"That's all right, mate. I can just get the details from my lady love later on" Gwaine reasons. The men all nod and mutter their agreement knowing that the women sat down for tea a few hours earlier; where they no doubt spilled a bit of "T" as well.

"It's a wonderful thing isn't it, men? Being in love".

"Aye" the men agree in unison with Arthur.

Turning back to Elyan, Arthur says, "You know El, I can't help but notice that you and Percival are the only ones here without partners".

Lifting up his mug and tilting it to Elyan and then Percival, Merlin states, "The night is yet young, eh boys?", before draining the rest of his ale. Thunderous laughter spills from the table's occupants yet again. Lance had been wise enough to put his mug back down on to the table when he caught the wicked gleam in Merlin's eye, so his hand is free to pat Gwaine's back, who chokes on his beer at Merlin's cheeky quip.

Elyan stares menacingly at the laughing fools, which only makes them laugh even harder. "May the plague claim you all". He chances a look over at Percival to find his giant friend looking at him expectantly.

"What are you looking at?" Elyan asks leerily.

"Hey" Percival reaches out and cups Elyan's face, gently stroking his thumb across the attorney's cheek. "No need to be frightened, pet. I'll be gentle".

Elyan looks at Percival as if flowers had just sprouted out of his ears. The look on his face must have been quite convincing because Percival falters and his face breaks out into a grin.

"You...Go on, you!". Elyan slaps Percival's hand away from his face. He soon starts to chuckle and before long joins in on his friends' mirth.

So lost are the men in their happiness that not one of them notices the ruddy faced, balding, shady looking man seated in a corner booth spying on them.


	26. Chapter 26

**AN: I honestly don't know why you all put up with me...**

**But I am humbled and honoured that you do. Staying interested in this story and even having some new followers and readers on board (even after my two month hiatus!?) lets me know that the personal battles, the private struggles...the writer's block, are not ****all**** in vain.**

**I salute you. I thank you.**

**To those of you who have even gone as far as to PM me, it ****shows me ****that you are not only concerned about my work, but my well being as well. For that...I have no words worthy enough. But in the meantime I will say, **

**Thank You.**

* * *

><p>Two months later...<p>

"All rise for Judge Pritchard", the bailiff addresses the entire courtroom.

Gwaine stands confidently, his shoulders squared beneath his smart tweed suit, and absently smooths his already neat ponytail. Elyan, Guinevere and Mona stand in the pew directly behind the prosecution's desk, just as confidently as their colleague. They all know what the verdict will be.

Judge Pritchard climbs the two steps leading up the dais and resumes his seated position. His jaw is set as he turns his hard gaze to the defendant, who tightly swallows and then lowers his head under the judge's scrutiny. The judge motions for the bailiff to retrieve the written verdict from the designated foreperson, and she does. Judge Pritchard's face remains neutral as he reads the transcription before handing the parchment back to the bailiff to return to the juror.

Turning to his left the judge asks, "Madam foreperson, how do you find the defendant?"

"We, the jury, find the defendant, Jean Laurent, guilty on all counts". Thirty of the women, thirty of his victims, who faithfully attended the trial, break out in elated cheer, applause, and a few even in tears. Judge Pritchard decides not to bang his gavel to restore order in his courtroom, but instead allows the women to revel in their rightfully deserved justice. He thanks and dismisses the jurors before adjourning court and receding back to his chambers. Two court officers lead a handcuffed and shackled Laurent outside of the courtroom to escort him to the waiting penitentiary van outside, behind the courthouse. Before Gwaine can finish clearing off files and evidence bags from the prosecution's desk a pair of the women, sisters, among the thirty he'd just defended approach him.

"Mr. McKinley...words are not enough to describe our gratitude" one sister says.

"That man violated our privacy, our trust, our piece of mind...But today, winning our case for us, you helped restore some of what we lost" the older sister adds. "Truly, we thank you".

Gwaine reaches out and shakes both sisters hands. "You have nothing to thank me for; I did my job. It's despicable what you all had to endure" Gwaine says looking from the sisters to the other women filing out of the courtroom. "But I'm thankful that justice was served today".

"As are we" the older sister speaks for them both. "Good day Mr. McKinley" she says before she and her sister file out of the courtroom with the other victors.

"Congratulations, Gwaine" Mona says, briefly kissing the barrister on the cheek. "Justice was indeed served today. What makes it even sweeter is the irony of it all". The three attorneys look confusedly at one another before returning their attention back to the secretary.

"How so?" Gwen is first to ask.

"That pig secretly watched all those women as they used the restroom. Now, where he's going, his cellmate and prison guards will know the moment he's shitted or pissed the same time he does." Mona smiles triumphantly. "Isn't justice a beautiful thing?". The three lawyers laugh at their colleague's reasoning and dry humour.

Justice is a 'beautiful thing', indeed.

Jean Laurent, a formerly respected restaurant owner and executive chef, is a detestable man who thought it was perfectly fine to install a hidden camera in the toilet of the ladies restroom at his restaurant; his fetish for watching women urinate apparently deemed it the logical thing to do. The camera was connected wirelessly to Laurent's laptop, which he operated during his lunch breaks. He made six figures charging other fetishists subscriptions to watch the videos of the unsuspecting, innocent women as they used the bathroom. Until late one evening while the kitchen staff were cleaning the restaurant, and Laurent was outside enjoying a cigarette, when one of his waitresses discovered the camera, having dislodged from the toilet rim, floating inside the toilet bowl. Outraged and disgusted, she had forced herself to remain calm. Mia had had reservations about her boss's professionalism and conduct for some time. From the way he would look at the female employees and the female restaurant patrons, to the way he would give her just enough room, so that her body would graze his, to pass by him if they were working in the same kitchen station, down to the way she would sometimes catch him staring at her before ducking his head to hide a secretive grin.

Gaining permission into Laurent's office to phone her ride home, she had quickly found the intrusive, candid videos; a few of them of her, on his open laptop and instead of calling her boyfriend to pick her up, she phoned the police. Minutes later a confused, shocked Laurent was lead through his restaurant and back outside in handcuffs.

Gwaine took on the case. He was repulsed by the evidence but also relieved when discovering that Gwen or Mona were not among Laurent's victims. (Thankfully the girls had always ordered out from that restaurant) Laurent was charged with fifty counts of unlawful surveillance and sexual misconduct; sexual harassment, lewd and lascivious cyber crimes, and obscenity and pornography. On top of that, upon his prison release he will also have to register himself on the sex offender registry.

"Good job, Gwaine. Your name will be joining mine and Elyan's on the firm's awning in no time" Gwen chips in. Gwaine smiles shyly under their praise. It's always reassuring and validating to be acknowledged by your peers and colleagues.

"I wouldn't mind seeing "McKinley" in bold, shiny letters" Gwaine says with a cocky grin. "It's this ponytail I'm having trouble getting used to", he whines.

"It's either the ponytail or a pair of shears..." Elyan suggests.

"Not a chance" Gwaine and Mona say in unison, glaring at the attorney and his implication. Gwen briefly giggles before looking at her wrist watch.

"El and I have to get going- today is Dad's birthday and we don't like to keep him waiting do we, El?"

"No Ma'am" Elyan agrees. Gwaine and Mona smile at the siblings.

"Drinks are on me and El later".

"In that case, bring your black cards" Gwaine states, beaming. "Give Papa Leo my best, will you" he adds affectionately.

Gwen smiles. "We always do".

Elyan and Gwen stop by the florist to pick up their father's favourite: orchids. They were only his favourite because they were Gwen's and Elyan's mum's favourite, and they were only _her_ favourite flower because when Tom and his wife were courting, he'd once told her that the spots of the orchid reminded him of her own freckles. So every year for her birthday she would receive the freckled flowers from Tom. When she died, he continued the tradition; adorning her gravestone with a bouquet of orchids and keeping another on their coffee table at home.

Gwen and Elyan walk side by side with their elbows locked. Gwen smiles at the story of her parents' courtship while bringing the bouquet to her nose. Elyan immediately knows why she's smiling.

"Dad is such the romantic, isn't he" Elyan states rather than asks, smiling fondly. Gwen looks up from the bouquet as they continue walking up the path.

"He is" she says smiling. Her smile dims and the rims of her eyes moisten. "...He was".

"He'll always be" Elyan says, his voice tightened under strain to keep his own tears at bay. Both the siblings reach their father's gravestone and kneel before it.

"Happy Birthday, Dad" they say together. Gwen gently places the orchids at the base of the stone and wipes the single tear that escapes her eye. Elyan unlocks his elbow from Gwen's to reach over and place the second bouquet at the base of their mother's headstone.

"I don't think Dad would mind" Elyan says his customary saying to his mother's headstone. "Would you, Dad?" he continues, looking back at his father's headstone. A sudden gentle breeze curves from behind Tom's gravestone, sweeping across Gwen's and Elyan's face, as if to say 'Not at all'.

Elyan laughs in amazement and turns to his sister. "See, Gwennie...He'll always be".

* * *

><p>Arthur and Morgana ring the doorbell to their childhood home and Martine answers the door.<p>

"My babies are home!" she exclaims in her Haitian Creole peppered-English. Both Arthur and Morgana affectionately hug their childhood caretaker; governess, cook, bedtime storyteller...Martine wore many hats for the siblings, especially after the death of their mothers.

"Auntie Martine", Arthur says as she ushers them into the house, "It's always good to see you- and although Morgana and I have grown up, _you_ haven't aged a bit". The middle aged woman blushes under the compliment before playfully swatting Arthur's shoulder.

"You only say that because you know I have made my famous Pâtés Haitien for you". Arthur smiles what looks to his nursemaid so much like his childhood grin, and she smiles too.

"You know me too well, Auntie".

"Of course I do" she says leading the way to the kitchen. "And I made extra because I know how much you and Merlin fight over them".

"Yup; too well" Morgana chimes. Martine reaches over and gives the detective's cheek a loving pinch.

"Don't worry, chérie. I will put yours in a separate box". Morgana triumphantly pumps her fist.

"_Yes_! And here I thought Arthur was your favourite".

"I am!".

"Are not!".

"Am too!".

"Are _not_!"

"Am-"

"I _thought_ I heard the sound of children in the house" Uther says sauntering in from the patio and through the kitchen's back door to join his family. "Leave it to Martine's delicious cooking to bring the _child_ out of my children". Martine smiles shyly at Uther's compliment and Uther smiles back; his reflecting open flirtation. Arthur and Morgana exchange a questioning- yet knowing- look.

"Dad" Morgana greets Uther first, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly.

"My beautiful gem" Uther greets back.

"Father". Arthur reaches for his father once Morgana moves on and toward the Haitian pastries.

"Golden Boy" Uther uses the childhood nickname while embracing his son.

"I'm glad my two big shot son and daughter detectives have found the time to have lunch with their lowly old father" Uther teases his kids.

"Oh _please_", Morgana drags around a mouthful of pastry. "Arthur is no 'big shot'. I on the other hand..."

"Ha!" Arthur scoffs. "I still have a ways to go before I'm on your level, huh, detective _sergeant_?". This time Morgana scoffs.

"Typical of a man to bring up rank, yeah, Auntie?". Martine looks back and forth between her two former charges.

"You are _both_ 'big shots' in my heart".

"Auntie, that is such a political response" Arthur playfully scolds the woman who raised him.

"It's the _perfect_ response" Uther butts in, winking at the Caribbean beauty. "Now let us go and enjoy the delicious lunch that Martine has prepared for us". Morgana helps Martine and carries out a platter to the neatly set patio table. Once the women are outside, Arthur reaches for the pitcher of iced tea and drinking glasses before turning to his father.

"Dad, is there anything..._new_ going on in your life that you'd like to tell me about?" Arthur sees a twinkle in his father's eyes and already knows the answer to his question. For years Morgana worried about their father living, and dying, alone. Arthur never admitted it, but he shared the same fear. Now he knows that both his and his sister's fears were unfounded. It appears that Martine wasn't just taking care of Uther's home, she's been taking care of Uther, too. The detective can't help but be happy for his father and surrogate mother.

"Yes" Uther finally says. "But that can wait. I want to hear more about this Guinevere of yours". The grin that splits Arthur's face is nearly enough for the retired detective to take his son tux shopping!

Uther chuckles. "Seems to me like you're in trouble". Arthur, immediately knowing 'trouble' is 'love', steps over the threshold of the kitchen sliding doors and on to the patio before glancing back at Uther.

"I thought I knew 'trouble' before, Father. But with Guinevere's trouble...". Arthur shakes his head. "I'm doomed". Uther laughs, clapping his son on the back.

"I've been where you are, Arthur. Twice". Uther smiles and looks between his two children, silently thanking his late wives for giving him and leaving behind the two most precious tokens of their love. Uther smiles lazily at Martine. "Third time may just be the charm, eh".

"I'm happy for you, Dad" Arthur says, seeing the adoration in Uther's eyes for Martine. "I get lost in Guinevere the same way...and it's weird because it happened so fast; almost too fast".

"There's no such thing" Uther cuts in "as 'too fast' when your heart is involved. Love knows no time, Son. In fact, sometimes time can be the enemy of love. It's better that you rush in head and heart first than having to wonder later on if Guinevere is the one that got away".

Arthur looks at the strong, aged man; gray and creased with wisdom and time, and then looks at the hopeful, unwavering twinkle of love in his eyes. Uther loved his and Morgana's mothers with his full heart and never regretted falling in love with them. Time was very much the enemy of love, taking the women away too soon from him. From them.

Still, Uther stayed strong and always left his heart open to love. Looking now at the pleasant, easy smile on Martine's lips and the abundance of affection in her own eyes, Arthur can see that his father had made a wise decision to keep his heart unguarded.

"I couldn't agree with you more, Father" Arthur finally says. "I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I saw Guinevere on another man's arm; conceiving another man's children".

'_Children'?_. The word reverberates in Arthur's head.

'_Yes. Children. _Our _children'_. Arthur smiles at his mind's vision of a chubby face with his flaxen hair, Guinevere's curls and cinnamon brown eyes peering up in to his own ocean blue ones as he changes a soiled diaper.

The other three occupants at the patio table look at the sudden change in tension on Arthur's face at the mention of another man with Guinevere, and then the immediate release of tension at the mention of children. All three can see that he's not just thinking of _any_ children. He's thinking of his children. Their children.

"If there is anyone here who sees reason why these two should not be joined in holy union, please speak now...". Uther and Martine's combined laughter at Morgana's mocking cut in to Arthur's thoughts.

Arthur narrows his eyes at his sister before reaching for the pitcher of chilled tea. "Ha ha. Very funny" he says before bringing his now filled glass to his lips for a greedy sip.

"Auntie and Dad seem to think so" Morgana barely gets out through her chuckling.

"Dad", Morgana turns to address her father. "Your son is completely enamored with the petite powerhouse that is Guinevere Leodegrance". Bringing up her glass to her lips and speaking over the rim she continues, "He's been practically tripping over his tongue since he's met her" before taking a sip of the cold beverage.

Guinevere Leodegrance.

The name immediately drums and old, dull pain in Uther's chest.

"Does Guinevere by chance have a little brother; Elyan?" the retired detective asks, already knowing the answer.

"Yes". It doesn't surprise Arthur that Uther knows of Guinevere and Elyan. Though retired, his father always likes to stay current on the happenings of Albion, particularly the law sector.

"Tom's little girl" Uther whispers, his voice distant. "You fell in love with Tom's little girl".

"You know Guinevere's father?" Arthur asks, having not yet the opportunity to meet the man. Any bit of information Arthur can glean about the man whom he wishes to impress, and one day ask the permission of to wed his daughter, is welcome.

"Yes. I knew Guinevere's father very well".

'Knew'?

"Tom was Albion's premiere prosecutor. He worked restlessly defending victims, seeking, and almost always winning them justice. He was the peoples' lawyer. I looked up to him". Uther pauses, briefly looking skyward, closes his eyes and deeply inhales before sighing.

Opening his eyes again he continues. "My most memorable cases were won with Tom at the helm. His passion for justice and eradicating _injustice_ was unmatched".

Arthur thinks of Guinevere's cross examining of Magnus. She was relentless but calm, passionate but humble as she exposed and condemned Magnus' wrongdoings and won deserved justice for Tilly and Jonah.

"His tenaciousness rubbed off on me, too" Uther chuckles. "I would stay at the precinct long after the work day was over re-reading files, doing more footwork re-interviewing witnesses...It got to the point where the Chief of Detectives thought I had a second family to support; I made so much in overtime". Uther laughs again, his family joining him.

"One night, seems like an entire life ago, Tom and I were working later than usual at his office, pouring over notes, eyewitness statements, CCTV surveillance videos; running a fine tooth comb through everything so we'd have an air tight case. A gruesome triple homicide. There was no way we'd leave a single stone unturned".

"I'll never forget". Uther chuckles. "Tom's stomach growled so loud that I actually jumped back in my chair". Arthur, Morgana and Martine laugh at the mental picture Uther's words paint. "Both Tom and I laughed at the hungry reminder and decided to order take away for a _second_ time. Problem was, we'd been at his office so long that the restaurant had already closed for the evening. Cutting our losses and satisfied with our work, we decided to rush home to our families. You and you", Uther addresses his son and daughter, "in my case, Guinevere and Elyan in Tom's. I got home that night and peaked in to your rooms and kissed you two as you slept. But Tom...". Uther's voice is barely above a whisper when he forces the name from his lips. "...Tom never reached his front door that night. He couldn't have avoided that truck even if he tried- and I know he tried", Uther's voice tightens. "That _bloody_ drunk driver took away a good man. Someone who was actually making a difference in this world".

Arthur is crestfallen. It's no wonder Guinevere barely mentions her father. Losing him in such a senseless way must make his death even more painful to accept or to think about; let alone talk about.

"I've watched Gwen and Elyan grow from afar" Uther continues. "After Tom's funeral I just...I just couldn't bear to see them again. Motherless. Fatherless. All alone in the world. I felt guilty for making it home that night, for surviving, while Tom died". Martine reaches over the table and takes Uther's hand in her own, squeezing it. She remembered the toll Tom's death took on him. The nightmares; the frustration of working with less motivated- and sometimes novice- prosecutors, the second and often third drinks after dinner that he thought he had carefully kept secret...Uther slowly became his old self after being promoted to Chief of Detectives. The fact that he was no longer a field detective and no longer had to work alongside less effective barristers saved him from having to go to Tom's office and seeing another man occupy his friend's desk, his friend's chair...his friend's life. Being chief offered Uther more time to be with Arthur and Morgana. Unfortunately by then Morgana had already gone off to University while Arthur was just getting his feet wet as a copper. But seeing his children thriving, watching Tom's kids thriving, slowly pulled the guilt away.

"I'm proud of how far Guinevere and Elyan have come; and they're only just getting started. I know Tom would have been proud, too.

* * *

><p>Guinevere listens to the strong and steady beat of Arthur's heart and smiles lazily. Minutes ago when she collapsed on to his broad chest, spent after soaring them both to the stars on strong, galactic climaxes, his heart drummed like a ragging bull; hers like a diligent hummingbird. It amazes her how her touch, her presence, could have such dramatically opposite effects on him. Gwen looks up from Arthur's chest and finds him peering deeply in to her eyes, the love that shines in his undeniable. Placing both of her hands on the mattress in the spaces directly beneath his armpits, she pushes herself up from his chest and moves up toward Arthur. He closes the short distance between them, pulling his hands from behind his head and wrapping his arms around Gwen's trim waist, pulling her to him and fusing her mouth with his, kissing her slow, deliciously slow.<p>

"I wish you could see the way you look at me, Arthur" Gwen whispers after the kiss breaks, her breathing steady once more. She is looking down in to his eyes now, hands tangled in his blond mess of hair, massaging his scalp. Arthur closes his eyes and sighs luxuriating in the sensation of her fingertips and nails gently raking his scalp.

Opening his eyes he tells her, "If my gaze reflects even an ounce of the affection I see when you look at me, Guinevere, then I am truly loved". Gwen stops rubbing Arthur's scalp and moves her hands forward to cup his face.

Peering deep in to his eyes, and drawing even deeper from her soul, she tells him, "You are, Arthur. You are loved. More and more each day my feelings for you consume me to the point where I think I'll finally succumb to the weigh of it". Stroking his left cheek with her thumb, she whispers, "I love you, Arthur". Those words...Those three words that she had never said, but in all other ways had shown. Those three words, like air, they breathe life in to Arthur. He actually exhales a short, stunned breath her proclamation.

Suddenly he pulls Guinevere closer, tighter to him. In one swept motion Arthur turns them, pinning Guinevere beneath him, and enters her. She gasps at the familiar yet surprising sensation and Arthur swallows the moan before it escapes her throat.

I love you.

Those three words like a lifeline, like a beacon in the night, they save him, and he spends the rest of the night showing Guinevere just how grateful he is that she has come to his rescue.

The next morning Arthur stirs in bed, reaching, searching for her. His savior, his heroine. His Guinevere. Feeling her pillow and not finding her velvety curls, feeling the absence of her weight beside him, Arthur groans and finally opens his eyes. He looks around his bedroom, taking time for his eyes to adjust to the sunlight breaking through the sheer curtain, for a sign of Guinevere and listens carefully for the sultry singing voice that usually accompanies her showers.

He hears nothing.

Arthur's eyes zone in on the note to his right on his bedside table. He smiles and reaches over to grab it:

'_Morning, Sleepyhead._

_I went for a run._

_If you continue to ravage me as you did last night, I have to find _some way_ to build my strength to keep up with you..._

_As for _your_ sinew, there's bacon; eggs and crumpets keeping warm in the oven, and a strong roast in the percolator._

_Enjoy!_

_I'll see you in a little while._

_I love you,_

_Sandalwood_

Arthur smiles, reading the note a third time, and tucks it in to the top drawer of the side table. Guinevere had discovered his pet name for her when she'd changed her mobile number and wanted to enter the updated one in to his phone. Arthur had explained the reason behind his calling her sandalwood and Gwen had thought it endearing and a touch romantic so decided she'd use it whenever she could.

Rising up from the grand bed Arthur slips his feet in to his slippers and unfolds his body in to a deep stretch before going to the bathroom to relieve himself. He opts out of a shower choosing instead to share his bath with Guinevere after her run, where he intends to lather, rinse and repeat every sweaty inch of her. A lustful grin on his lips, Arthur slips in to his housecoat and emerges from his bedroom where the strong smell of coffee from the kitchen hits his nostrils. Arthur opens his front door and sees that the morning paper has not yet been brought up to his door. He decides to go downstairs and retrieve it himself to read with his coffee. He passes the doorman in the lobby, who reaches behind the front desk and hands the paper to Arthur.

"Sorry, Sir. I know today's your day off...Had I know you would already be awake, I would have-"

"It's alright, Henry" Arthur assures the younger man. "You always deliver the paper on time. _I _am the one who's off schedule today. So, how was your chemistry final?" Arthur asks the young man whom he knows aspires to be a pharmacist.

Shocked, Henry answers. "It went well, Sir. A tough one, but I think I did alright".

"I _know_ you did" Arthur reassures him, clapping him good naturedly on the shoulder. "I'm just going to peak outside and see if Guinevere's on this side of the block".

"I'll get the door for you, Sir" Henry says as he comes around the lobby desk.

"You keep up the good work, Henry" Arthur says stepping through the open door.

"Thank you, Sir". Henry follows Arthur outside, ready to open the door for him and Guinevere, a shy smile on his face the entire time.

Arthur can see Guinevere walking, exhausted, up the block several hundred feet away toward him. He waves the paper above his head to get her attention and she waves back realizing it's him. Not wanting to wait for her to reach him he starts walking toward her. A small black car speeds down the street right past Arthur, its tires screeching so hard along the pavement it leaves dust in its wake, blinding Arthur to the lack of license plaques. The car continues speeding down the street and stops sharply near a tree. Guinevere forgets her exhaustion and picks up her pace, her strong gut feeling guiding her steps. Before she walks past the tree where the car is parked, a man, taller than her but shorter than Arthur she notes, finely dressed in a silk shirt and wool pants hops out of the back seat, a paper in his hand.

"Excuse me, Ma'am" he says with false kindness, and approaches Gwen. "Can you help me. I'm only visiting family in the area and already I'm lost". He forces a nervous laugh that Gwen knows is fake. She glances quickly past the man and can see Arthur is held up at a crosswalk, cars driving past the green light on both sides of the street, affording him no opportunity to cross.

He's close but too far away.

"I'm looking for this address, do you know it?" the finely dressed man asks advancing even closer to her.

"I don't live in the area, actually. My boyfriend does". Gwen stretches her hand to point to Arthur and at the same time fatally takes her eyes off of the man. "He's-". The rest of her sentence is cut off as the man quickly pulls Gwen flush against him. From behind her he muffles her screams with a chloroform soaked cloth he'd quickly slipped from out of his back pocket. Gwen starts to kick up and flail her arms, but the strong fume from the liquid is taking her under faster than she can fight it.

'ARTHUR!' her mind screams, but her lungs won't allow her mouth to copy.

"GWEN!". Arthur's long abandoned his paper and useless house slippers at the crosswalk and is now running as fast as his legs will take him to Gwen's limp body and the monster holding her.

"GUINEVERE! GUINEVERE!", he yells after the fast retreating car. But it's too late.

She's gone.


	27. Chapter 27

**AN: Hello friends! It's been so long- too long. I hope you are all enjoying the holidays as I am. Having some time off, I knew I had to give you all, a _much_ deserved, update to our little story. I can't thank you all enough for staying interested and faithfully reading Above The Law. It means more to me than you'll ever know.**

**So without further ado: Chapter 27.**

**S.N. This chapter contains some graphic language.**

**A special thank you to: freckled98, Sherri, larasmith, Distressed Clover, fdarcy 1, and the many guest reviewers who had kind words for me when I needed to hear them the most. Thank you.**

* * *

><p>"Arthur! Arthur, no. Please! Don't leave me- not like this", Guinevere weeps, pleads, her tears moistening the detective's blueish lips as she's knelt down beside him on the concrete pavement, clutching his cold hands in her own trembling ones. The life is draining out of Arthur, evaporating like rain on hot earth; the gunman's bullets to his lung and stomach hitting their target. Even as the light is leaving his eyes, Arthur forces them, along with his lips, into a smile as he gazes up at his wife. Her face damp and puffed from crying, but still the most beautiful woman in the world.<p>

"Guinevere", he says with every bit of strength he has left, determined to push past the blood and saliva mingled his throat, past the blood and oxygen trapped in his lungs. This will be the last time Arthur will ever speak her name.

"I love..."

"...you", he whispers into the darkness of the room.

Another nightmare. Another tormented dream since Guinevere's been gone. Two days. Forty eight hours. Two thousand, eight hundred and eighty minutes since Guinevere's been gone.

"...Then", Arthur says in to the dark. He slowly rises up from the couch. Painfully slow. The knots and kinks in his lower back have been his constant companions since he took to sleeping in the living room. Since Guinevere's been gone.

She may, by some miracle, walk through the front door and Arthur does not want the obstacle of his bedroom door in the way to reach her.

"That's all I could do, then_"_ he mumbles, walking easily in the unlit room and toward the kitchen. Once there, he flicks the light switch and immediately brings his hand to his brow, shielding his eyes from the harsh glare of the bulbs above. "Helplessly scream your name. But I will find the men who took you, Guinevere. I will find them, and I will make them beg for death". He walks over to the kitchen counter where the percolator, coffee grinder and bag of imported whole coffee beans sit. Guinevere didn't like him subjecting his poor taste buds to pre ground coffee, so she surprised him with the grinder and whole beans and tossed his _"offensive tin of instant coffee"_ in the trash. A ghost of a smile flutters across Arthur's face as he pours a scoop of roasted coffee beans into the grinder and presses the button to grind the coffee. The detective thinks of Magnus and how he wishes that the murderer were a coffee bean in the grinder right now. The initial and immediate person of interest in Guinevere's abduction was Magnus. However when Arthur and Morgana went to the prison where the criminal was being held to question him, they reached a dead end. Magnus is locked in his cell twenty-four hours a day in solitary confinement, only leaving his cell when he has a visitor. A quick look at the visiting logs proved that Magnus had only had one visitor since his incarceration. His attorney. Apart from him, Magnus has had absolutely no interaction with anyone from the outside, or inside, of Albion's Correctional Facility. In short, he could not have possibly hired anyone to abduct Gwen. But Arthur can't help the nagging feeling that Magnus found a way to maneuver the legal system.

"Ah. How nice of you to visit, detectives", Magnus beamed triumphantly when escorted, cuffed and shackled, into the visiting room where Morgana and Arthur had been waiting. The guard helped Magnus sit at the table before he removed the handcuffs from his wrists and re-cuffed them back onto the shackles already fastened into the tabletop. Despite having been bound by all the chains and metal, he had looked comfortable. Too comfortable. Magnus eyed Morgana from hair to bust; his eyes had lingered longer on the latter. The detective's hard gaze never once faltered, but she'd been glad she opted to wear a button-up shirt in lieu of her customary v-neck that day. Magnus then turned his gaze to Arthur. The detective's broad shoulders and hard chest did nothing to intimidate him. It was the look in Arthur's eyes that had made Magnus flinch, just slightly. They were level, but calculating. Tempered, yet ignited at the same time. Arthur's stare was like a calm blaze.

Magnus had not like it and decided to stoke the fire a bit.

"But I can't help but notice, Pendragon, that your little girlfriend isn't here". That did get the desired effect. Arthur's nostrils flared and he'd clenched his jaws so tight that Morgana heard the hinges click. Under the table she'd discreetly taped her foot against Arthur's twice.

'Stay cool'. Her foot said what her mouth dared not. Thankful for his sister and partner, Arthur remained calm and hadn't rise to the bait.

"I'm sure she's being..._held_ _up_", Magnus continued and punctuated the last two words with a smile. "At work, of course". Arthur had wanted nothing more than to reach into his pocket for his Swiss army knife and carve the smug grin right off of Magnus's face. But again, his little sister stepped in and stepped up.

"My partner and I are not here to discuss Ms. Leodegrance; but Gwen does send her warmest regards. We are simply here to inform you that Jonah, _your_ _son_, is safe, healthy, loved, growing stronger, and looking more like Tilly, every day. And still...", Morgana leaned over the table and got closer to Magnus's face, "...he has no idea you exist". The detective effectively paused then and watched Magnus's smirk harden into a tight-lipped grimace. She'd smiled her own smirk of satisfaction before she continued.

"Detective Inspector Pendragon and I thought it a kind gesture to come here and share this wonderful news with you, seeing as Jonah never visits. A shame that a son doesn't visit with his father. You and I always make time to see Dad, don't we, Arthur?".

"Always" Arthur replied, and secretly thanked Morgana for being so calm, collected, witty and quick on her feet. Truth was, after knowing of Magnus's solitary confinement, and having checked his visiting logs and coming up empty handed, Morgana had decided that they should sit down and converse with the murderer anyway, in case he was arrogant enough to say something that would give away his, if any, involvement in Gwen's abduction. Arthur could not have been prouder of his sister if he tried.

"Can't say I blame Sabrina for not bringing her nephew by, seeing as you murdered his mother- her twin sister and _only_ sibling. Not to worry though, Magnus. Matthew is doing a _fine_ job raising your son, being a proper father to your boy". Magnus's face had been as red as Morgana's hair was black. Shackled to the table, as a guard stood nearby, there was absolutely nothing that the prisoner could have physically done to the detective. So instead he had tried to save face by targeting the weaker Pendragon once more.

"I meant what I said at trial. I'll have my son". Magnus turned to Arthur and said, "And I'll have that sweet little chocolate biscuit of yours, too. Just as I promised. A man is nothing if not his word".

Arthur found a place deep within the recesses of his mind and his heart. A place where only Guinevere occupied. He stayed in that place and breathed deeply. He breathed in her scent, her laugh, her smile, her freckles, her honest brown eyes, her lush lips, her soft snore...Her everything. No amount of foot taps from Morgana would have kept Arthur from lunging at Magnus and ripping the truth out of him. Only Guinevere, even in her absence, did.

The detective then placed both of his hands on top of the desk, pushed down firmly, towered over Magnus, and arose from his chair.

"'A man _is_ nothing if not his word'. But you are no man, and therefore nothing".

Arthur heard Morgana fall in stride beside him as they exited the visiting room and then the prison, never sparing so much as a glance behind them.

"_Nothing_ is what you'll have left once Myron is finished with that little bitch" Magnus said behind the detectives.

The words never reached Arthur's ears.

Once the coffee is ready Arthur sips the rich dark liquid, allowing its warmth to spread through him. He waits for the caffeine to energize him and thinks absently of how Gwen prefers her java with a touch of cream and two sugars. Taking another sip Arthur thinks of the number of men and women Guinevere has helped put in prison. Hundreds? Thousands? He prepares another mug of coffee for the road. It may be two o'clock in the morning, several hours before his shift is scheduled to begin, but Guinevere's captors have a two day advantage; quickly approaching a third. The detective screws the lid on top of the portable mug, omitting sugar; wanting nothing to interfere with the efficacy of the caffeine. Arthur reaches his front door before another thought stills his hand on the doorknob.

'What if Guinevere's captors weren't after her? What if they took her to get to me?'

It makes sense. If you truly want to destroy someone, you go after the person or people they love most.

"Father, Morgana, Merlin, Martine, Guinevere".

"Guinevere", he whispers. He would rather die, as he nearly did in his dream just minutes ago, than to see harm come to his family. If Gwen's assailants are enemies of Arthur's the suspect pool has doubled. Perhaps even tripled.

* * *

><p>"How's our boy holding up?" Merlin asks Morgana as she enters the morgue. His best friend has been distant lately; understandably so. Merlin would probably go mad and live his life as a recluse if anything happened to Felicia, to say nothing of not responding to friends' calls and texts.<p>

"He's doing alright under the circumstances" Morgana responds over her shoulder as she slips on a pair of vinyl gloves before putting on face mask. "And not as bad as he was two days ago. I've certainly never seen him more determined, that's for sure." Merlin and Morgana are hovering over a young woman in her twenties. She was struck by a vehicle while darting across a busy street. The driver was not at fault; as the traffic lights were in his favour, so no criminal actions will be taken against him. According to witnesses, the young woman just ran into oncoming traffic. Merlin has a strong theory as to why.

"Here". He holds up a glass beaker filled with eggs, or what looks like eggs, for Morgana to inspect.

"Are those what I think they are?", the detective asks, already knowing the answer to her question.

"They are. This poor girl was a drug mule". The little egg-shaped balloons, filled with a powdered substance, were removed from the victims stomach contents as Merlin conducted his autopsy. "I suspect that is why she was running, to escape, and unfortunately met an untimely death in the street. Killed like a stray dog", the medical examiner utters in disgust for both mammals.

"But running from who?". Morgana looks at the pale, dead body of the young woman, a girl really. Drug trafficking. The detective doesn't like this manner of alien activity that has befallen the streets of Albion, so as one of the city's appointed protectors, she is personally affronted.

"I'm sure you'll find the scum responsible for this, Morgana", Merlin says sensing his friend's distress.

"Oh I will", the detective voices the determination shown in her eyes.

Merlin carefully transfers the little balloons into a zipper top plastic bag and then places the bag into an envelope marked "EVIDENCE" before handing to Morgana.

As the detective disposes her gloves and mask and opens the door to exit the morgue, Merlin's words still her steps. "Morgana", the medical examiner says, his voice slightly unsteady. "Find Gwen for us, will you. Tiny as she is, she's the only one strong enough who can put up with that Prat", he concludes with a nervous laugh. Morgana turns and catches the glimmering shine on Merlin's lower eyelids. The medical examiner is surrounded by mortality on a daily basis; a young corpse presently lies at his waist on the metal examining slab. To see him so shaken by Gwen's abduction...The very thought that he may have to deal with a dear friend's mortality has Merlin on the verge of tears. Morgana doesn't rush to him to bury him in her embrace; to see and hear Merlin cry would only scare her even more. Instead she grips the stainless steel doorknob tightly and speaks in a level, confident voice.

"We will find her, Merlin. Alive. Like you said, Gwen is _tiny_ but _strong._ That 'Prat' needs us now more than ever, yeah?"

"Yeah", Merlin chuckles, brusquely wiping the sleeve of his lab coat under his eye, catching a stray tear.

"But he needs Gwen the most. We _will_ find her".

Morgana smiles and nods at Merlin before exiting the morgue. "Please be alive, Gwen. Please be alive", she prays with each step down the hall.

* * *

><p>The morning of Gwen's abduction Arthur was paralyzed, glued to the spot he'd been standing in when he stopped chasing after the speeding car with an unconscious Gwen in the back seat. He stood there panting; screaming her name in between gulps of air. Henry, the bellhop, ran and caught up with Arthur and he'd immediately fished out his mobile so that the detective could call his girlfriend's own mobile phone. Guinevere often took it with her on her runs in case of an emergency. Arthur, grateful for the young man's quick thinking, dialed Guinevere's number, hopeful he would get a busy signal. That would have been the most beautiful sound in the world. It would have meant that Guinevere pressed the "talk" key before her captors fled with her so that her phone could be tracked. His hopes were shattered when he'd heard Guinevere's ring tone loud and clear. The phone laid beneath the tree where Gwen's attacker grabbed her before shoving her into his car. She'd clearly dropped it during her struggle.<p>

Arthur walked over to the tree and crouched down to retrieve the phone. He opened it and saw a photo of them together. Her sweet smile, his ear-to-ear grin. When Arthur had first met Gwen, the screen saver on her phone had been a photo of Lady Justice. "I changed it to display something just as dear to my heart" she'd told Arthur when the detective was browsing through the attorney's contacts list for a judge's information. Family, justice, and Arthur: the things closest to Gwen's heart. Arthur felt his throat tighten, so he clenched his jaw and blinked rapidly to keep the tears that had threatened to spill from his eyes, from his heart, at bay. Clutching the phone and staring at the happy, smiling photo of him and Guinevere is how Morgana had found her brother. When Henry had called her and explained to her the events that unfolded near Arthur's apartment complex, the detective had been in bed with Leon; the copper and investigator enjoying their day off as well. Both she and Leon abandoned their plans for that afternoon though, and rushed to Arthur's aid.

"Arthur", Morgana whispered, squatted down on the pavement in front of her brother. He'd looked up from the phone in his hand and into his sister's face.

"Morgana?", he whispered, confused. Arthur looked back down at the phone in his hand to look at Gwen's sweet smile. His face morphed from confusion, to anger, to sadness and it was all Morgana could have done not to crack and crumble. She took a deep breath and tipped her brother's chin up so that he was able to see the resolve in her eyes when she spoke.

"You listen to me, Arthur Pendragon. Go put on some proper clothes and some proper shoes", she'd said referring to his bathrobe, pajamas and house slippers; which Henry had been kind enough to retrieve where Arthur had abandoned them during his chase. "We are going to knock on every door in this neighborhood- and the next one if we have to. We are going to question every single resident behind those doors. Someone must have witnessed something; minute or crucial, we will be the judge. We are detectives, and Gwen needs the _both_ of us to do our jobs properly. Her life very well depends on it."

Just like that, the daze that Arthur was in lifted from him, like a veil of fog dispersed in the presence of the magnificent sun. Arthur and Morgana questioned all the residents of Arthur's neighborhood- and the next one, while Leon and a handful of other police constables that were called to the scene combed both neighborhoods for clues and evidence regarding Gwen's kidnapping. One of Arthur's neighbors two blocks away from his building confirmed that she had seen the black vehicle belonging to Gwen's abductors in the neighborhood three days prior to that morning. She'd been walking her dog when a man in the backseat of a vehicle rolled down his window as she walked past and asked her for instructions to a hardware store. He'd said that he was new in town and was making last minute alterations to his home nearby. She'd gotten a chilling feeling from the seemingly polite and well dressed man. What's more, her usually docile dog barked erratically during the entire brief exchange, to the point where the man instructed his driver to drive off before the neighbor could instruct him to the local hardware store. She quickly pulled out her mobile and recorded the car's license plaque number on her digital notepad. That morning, her dog was once again barking intently and pawing at the front gate as she was gardening. When she went to go try and calm her dog, surely enough she saw the black vehicle again. It sped by her so quickly that the woman didn't even see Gwen in the back seat, but moments later heard Arthur screaming out her name. In fear, not wanting to be listed on record as a witness to a potential crime, she just shut herself inside her home, hoping she'd imagined the detective helplessly running and screaming after his girlfriend. But the moment she answered her door and saw Morgana and Arthur standing on her porch with pad and pen, the hopeful look in Arthur's eyes as he questioned her, the details just spilled from her lips, including the vehicle's license number. The gratitude Arthur showed, hugging his neighbor and thanking her repeatedly, was enough to know that she'd done the right thing.

After they questioned the residents Morgana and Arthur met up with two other detectives, who'd been going door-to-door as well, along with Leon and his constables in front of Arthur's apartment complex to gather all of their findings. During the short briefing Arthur pulled out Gwen's mobile and flipped it open to look at her smiling face, when the phone began to vibrate. An incoming call. Elyan.

"Elyan". Arthur's heart sank even deeper since Gwen's capture. The barrister was likely calling his sister just to see how her day off was going. The detective swore and all of his colleagues swung their heads to look at him.

"Elyan". Arthur held up the phone to punctuate. He allowed the phone to buzz twice more before it stopped. "I have to tell Elyan". 'That his sister, his only sister, was taken right from under my bloody nose'.

When Arthur and Morgana walked through Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Offices later on Elyan had been in his office, sitting at the edge of his desk, his legs crossed while reviewing a case file. He looked so relaxed.

"Arthur, Morgana", he'd greeted the detectives warmly. "Where's Gwen? I called her no too long ago to ask if she'd come and have lunch with us- no offense to you of course. It's just that lunches here at the office with my sister, Mona and Gwaine are something I look forward to". The barrister smiled and added as an afterthought, "But don't tell Gwaine I told you that; he'd never let me hear the end of it".

Arthur looked at the kind, unassuming man, knowing that what he had to tell him would unravel him. He swallowed his nerves, then swallowed again. "Elyan. Guinevere...". Just saying her name had taken effort. "...She _was_ with me this morning. Elyan, Gwen...She uh...She went for a run this morning and she..."

"Oh no, did she hurt herself?", Elyan had asked concerned. "She really pushes herself on those runs; split shins, sprained ankles, sore knees..."

"She was taken". Those three words hung in the air like burnt incense without the perfume.

"Guinevere was taken. Two men; just as she was coming back to m-". He couldn't even bring himself to say "me". He couldn't rescue her, so what right had he to make such a claim?

Elyan's eyes were wild. "Two men...My sister... Bu- but how? Why? Wh- who would...Magnus", he'd said with such venom Morgana actually shivered.

"We're on our way to visit him now".

"I'm coming with you".

"No". Arthur grabbed Elyan by both biceps and firmly held him down to his desk.

"'_No_'! What do you mean, no?". Elyan writhed to break free of Arthur's grip.

"Guinevere needs you here. Call your contacts- call her contacts. Find out who would mean your sister harm. Have any of the criminals she's sent to prison been paroled, or released from prison recently? Is there anyone with grudges or vendettas against Guinevere or this firm? Have any of her clients not been pleased with a verdict? Guinevere needs you here, Elyan." The barrister had stopped struggling at Arthur's words. He was right. If Gwen stood a chance at being rescued it was with Elyan doing his job and letting Arthur do his.

His laboured breathing steadied. "You're right. Yes, I'll stay here. I'll...". Elyan had looked around at his office full of books, journals, legal documents, the Rolodex on his desk hoping one of them would contain answers. "...I'll get started straight away".

"Thank you", was all Arthur said before he and Morgana turned to leave.

"Arthur", Elyan called out just as they reached the door. "Find my sister. She's all I have left". The inspector nodded curtly before he disappeared into the hallway.

"Lance", Arthur said into the phone when he walked past Gwaine and Mona in the lobby, and avoided their eyes. "Any hits on the license plaque number?". Arthur had put Leon in charge of rounding up a task force to work Gwen's case. Once Lance received the license number he put out an APB (All Points Bulletin) on the car, gathering footage from traffic light cameras, CCTV surveillance, as well as tracking information from the car's GPS; which the captors had unfortunately disabled, for a trail of all the points, or locations, the car had been in since the abduction. The computer analyst also set up an anonymous hotline so that the public were able to phone in with any information.

"My guys and I are still filtering through traffic videos, but we haven't found much. Either these guys took all the backstreets and avoided most of the cameras, or they've ditched their plaques. In any event, these goons aren't amateurs. We're dealing with professional thugs here, Arthur." Not at all what the detective wanted to hear.

"Keep at it, Lance. Call me as soon as you've found something- I don't care how trivial".

"Of course".

Later, on the eve of Guinevere's kidnapping, an anonymous tip was phoned into the precinct leading Arthur and Morgana to a junkyard. According to the owner, the captors freely donated the car on the sole promise that he demolished the vehicle immediately. Not one to ask questions- especially since he did not have to pay the men a single dime for the car's radio, GPS, hands-free phone system and salvageable metal, the portly man did as was instructed, effectively destroying any potential evidence; fingerprints, hairs, epithelial, saliva, or blood, that may have been in the car.

'Dealing with professional thugs' indeed.

* * *

><p>That was nearly three days ago.<p>

Every road that leads to Guinevere is a dead end, but Arthur refuses to believe the worst. He spent the early hours of the morning before his shift putting up fresh "MISSING PERSON/ REWARD" fliers and re-questioning a few late night and twenty four hour shopkeepers. One shopkeeper felt so helpless about his lack of information that he offered Arthur a fresh cup of coffee and crumpets to feed the detective in his efforts.

Arthur walks into the police station with renewed purpose in his stride, determined to find Guinevere before seventy two hours marks her disappearance.

"Pendragon", Chief Oliver calls out to the detectives quarters, "-both of you" he clarifies before the siblings can ask,"which one?". "Judge Mayweather's grandson was grabbed on his way to school. The boy usually has a chauffeur drive him to and from school but, wanting more independence, decided to take the metro with his friends today. His friends were subdued while his captors fled with the boy. Judge Mayweather funds half of this city- _including_ this police station, so I don't have to tell you that this case takes top priority. You two have been reassigned effective immediately".

"But-"

"I have assigned detectives Carter and Ivanovic to Leodegrance's case in the meantime", the Chief cuts Arthur off. "When this case is solved both you and your sister will reprise your roles on the barrister's abduction case. If necessary", he adds as an afterthought. "Constables Knight and Gunner are already at the Judge's home awaiting your arrival". Chief Oliver retreats back to his office, feeling Arthur's hard stare splintering the back of his head every step of the way.

"Daddy!". At the sound of the shrill voice Morgana massages her temples.

"Vivian, darling", the Chief greets his daughter.

"I thought I'd have lunch with you today if that's alright".

"Sure, princess. I can use the distraction. Judge Mayweather's grandson was kidnapped-"

"Right Daddy. I'll be with you in a moment. Here". She holds up a brown paper tote. "I got you a Cornish pasty, and there might be a Scottish egg or two in there". She leans toward her father's ear conspiratorially, "I won't tell Mum if you won't" she says, concluding with a wink. The chief of detectives all but skips with delight into his office before shutting the door behind him.

"I'll be in the car" Morgana tells her brother before wordlessly walking past Vivian toward the lifts.

"Arthur". She grabs the detective's forearm just as he's ready to brush past her as his sister did. He takes a deep breath and allows her hand to stay there. "I'm really sorry to hear about Guinevere. She didn't deserve what happened to her". Arthur can detect the forced sympathy in the blonde barrister's voice and while it annoys him, it's her choice of words that bring his already simmering nerves to a full rolling boil. He yanks his arm free of her grasp.

"'Didn't deserve'"?, the detective snarls. "_Doesn't_ deserve". His voice grows louder. "Guinevere does not deserve what happened to her. You speak of her in the past tense-as if she's dead. Guinevere is not dead!". The thought that Vivian may know of Gwen's whereabouts, or whether or not Gwen is indeed dead or alive crosses Arthur's mind. But the inspector knows that as treacherous and conniving as his former fiance is, she would never risk having her freedom taken away, or death at Arthur's hands, by conspiring to kill Guinevere.

"I will find her. As long as I have breath in my lungs, the will to survive and the spirit of fight, so too will Guinevere. I will find her and bring her home with me, _alive._ So you can just keep your condolences". The detective doesn't indulge the now shame-faced attorney another glance as he strides down the hall, a sea of detectives and coppers parting the way for him.

'Please be alive, Guinevere. Please be alive'.

Finishing his rounds inspecting the freight containers on Albion's biggest and busiest cargo port, a worker spots a trail of tiny liquid pools on the ground in front of one of the containers. Suspicious, he kneels down to the ground, pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and presses it to the liquid. When he lifts his handkerchief from the ground red stains his cloth. Blood. He rights himself, throws his clipboard to the ground and pulls the levers to open the freight container's doors.

"Dear God", he gasps. His daughter, a rookie copper was having breakfast with him that morning when her partner called her to report to an uptown metro station; apparently a judge's grandson had been kidnapped on his way to school. Looking at the small, slumped and bloody body bound to a chair inside the container, the freight inspector fears he has found that judge's grandson. Blood cakes the short curls atop his head and down his face. His left eye is swollen completely shut and the right side of his face is just as swollen. Both his lips are cracked; the corners of his mouth lined with blood. What were once likely his gym clothes are torn, tattered and covered in dirt and blood as well. The inspector slowly walks over to the boy and tentatively reaches a hand out to his neck and sighs in sheer relief when he finds a pulse.

"Oh thank The Mother Mary. Son. Son can you hear me? You're alright now" he says as he works on freeing the knots of the rope binding the boy's wrists behind the chair. After much labor he unties the knots and carefully lets the boy's arms drop free from the rope. He gently clutches one hand and comes back to face the now conscious boy, kneeling in front of him so he won't have to strain to see out of the right eye.

"Hey there, son. You're alright now, lad. You're a tough lad. Who's done this to you? Who's hurt you like this?". The boy visibly struggles to answer. "Hush. Hush now. You don't have to answer that right now. Silly of me to ask".

The freight inspector tries a friendlier angle. "My name's Michael; but my friend's call me Mickey. What do your friends call you?"

Struggling to answer again, but this time determined to answer, "Gwe-", is all she manages before the world around her fades to black.


End file.
